


A Champion of The Light

by AlsoIcelandicLad



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/F, F/M, Multi, No Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-16
Updated: 2020-11-22
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:21:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 17
Words: 254,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27047146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlsoIcelandicLad/pseuds/AlsoIcelandicLad
Summary: A month after Dumbledore's death, Harry is depressed and wallowing in grief at Privet Drive. One night, shortly before his seventeenth birthday, Fawkes appears in his room, and whisks him away to a hidden stronghold. There, our hero meets the spirit of Godric Gryffindor, who takes Harry as his apprentice. Harry/Multi. Powerful, not godlike. Intelligent Harry. Ch 2 is not missing, it was merged with chapter one.
Relationships: Bellatrix Black Lestrange/Harry Potter, Fleur Delacour/Harry Potter, Fleur Delacour/Nymphadora Tonks, Harry Potter/Andromeda Black Tonks, Harry Potter/Nymphadora Tonks, Minerva McGonagall/Harry Potter, Narcissa Black Malfoy/Harry Potter
Comments: 54
Kudos: 191
Collections: Fandom_Nerd123_Andromeda_Harry, Fandom_Nerd123_Bellatrix_Harry, Fandom_Nerd123_Fleur_Harry, Fandom_Nerd123_Minerva_Harry, Fandom_Nerd123_Narcissa_Harry, Fandom_Nerd123_Tonks_Harry





	1. I&II

Foreword.

Greetings to you, prospective reader. I see you've stumbled upon this little story of mine, no doubt as you were exploring the massive archive of Harry Potter stories that have been posted on this site. Well, no story would be complete without a completely unnecessary and boring author's note no one will read or care about, at the beginning :) It's rather long, so feel free to skip it.

It was on a morning in late spring-early summer in 2018 when I was, for some reason I cannot recall, going through some old, discarded things in a few boxes in the loft of our hjallur, a structure used to make fish jerky. We Icelanders love dried fish. Dried Haddock with a pinch of real, authentic Icelandic butter is heavenly. In one of those boxes, I found an old flash drive I remembered buying when I was nineteen and in what is probably called high school by most of you. (College?)

Being the curious sort, I took the flash drive with me, and plugged it into my computer, and found some school related documents, and a folder named 'hp'. Now, I opened it up and discovered a story I had written years earlier, called Harry Potter Warrior of Light. Way back in 2006. Some of you may even have read it. I read the story and it was absolutely horrible. I mean, my grasp of the English language at the time was atrocious, but I'd like to think it has improved at least a little.

Utterly embarrassed by it and remembering where I might have posted it, I went online and removed it from all and any sites. After that, I turned off the computer, laced up my hiking boots, grabbed my staff and went on a hike. One of the best things about living where I do; walk for five minutes in any direction and you'll be by yourself in nature, it's glorious. You may come upon a few sheep, or even a few horses, or the occasional Lagopus, but otherwise, it's just you.

I hiked for a good six hours, but for some reason, the old story wouldn't leave me alone. Perhaps it may have something to do with a playlist of Jeremy Soule's greatest ringing in my ears, but when I got home, I sat down in front of the computer and began typing, the result of which is the first three chapters of this story.

Now, I've read a lot of fanfiction over the years and I've no doubt many of them have influenced this story, and I cannot possibly name them all, and let's be honest. At the time I'm writing this note and about to post the first chapter, there are, in excess, over eight hundred and sixteen thousand individual postings in the Harry Potter section alone on FanFiction, so the idea of any story being completely original is a stretch a mile long.

The truth is, I never intended to post this on here, since I wrote this purely for myself. I like sitting at the pc and listen to all kinds of fantasy music, or play RPG's, such as NWN, KOTOR, Witcher and many more, but sometimes, my mind goes flying, and won't leave me alone until I've quit whatever game I'm playing, or stopped reading whatever it is I'm reading, and written down everything that's running around in my head. Sometimes, when I 'wake up' from one of those, I've written fifteen thousand words of story. It's rather curious, to be honest.

Like I said, I hadn't intended to post this on here, but after some thinking, I decided to go for it, given recent events around the world. (COVID-19). I'd like to leave at least something behind, in case something happens, you know?

I said before that I wrote this for myself, and that is completely true. As such, the story is rather indulgent, pandering to my own wish fulfilments and whims. It's got a harem, some body modification, among other things. There's also an abundance of clichés around, so if that's something that puts you off, I'm afraid you may not like this one. There's no bashing (except Ron), but some characters will be very angry with a certain old man, and the choices he made regarding Harry.

I would not mind if those who read this story, if any actually do, would leave some constructive comments, they might help me along. I would, however, like to respectfully ask that people refrain from flaming the story. I completely understand if you don´t like it, because we do, after all, have different tastes.

I realize those who post on this site do so pretty much anonymously, but even so, in some instances, it takes real courage to take the leap and the way I see it, it deserves our respect. If you cannot find something positive or constructive to say, please remain silent. Flames serve no purpose other than to make others feel miserable, and I really think we should try and strive toward being better than that, no?

And lastly, I have decided to rate the story 'M' to be safe. There is violence, but it's not gratuitous, and the story does not have any lemons. Some people say that a harem story is pointless without them, but I have to respectfully disagree. It does have some coarse language and suggestive themes, however.

The story starts the summer after sixth year, and you can assume almost everything to be canon up until then. I made some changes to suit my story, but nothing earth shattering, and you will notice them as they come along. There are Horcruxes, but no Deathly Hallows, I always hated that part of HP. Isn't the whole idea behind fanfiction to write your own story within the universe which your story takes place?

Anyway, let's get to it, shall we?

I

Harry Potter lay on his back, on the ground and stared at the night sky. He was trying to get some sleep, yet again, to no avail. The young boy, well, not so much a boy any more, had changed dramatically in the slightly less than two years that had passed since Dumbledore’s death. He was no longer the skinny boy everyone had known, but a tall, strong, battle hardened warrior. In fact, he was almost unrecognizable, unless you noticed his brilliant emerald eyes, and that legendary lightening shaped scar on his forehead.

After almost a year of constant fighting, however, he had collected quite a few more. (Some of them might even make Mad-Eye proud.) As he lay there on the ground, his thoughts drifted to his friends, his one true family, which caused him to feel a pang of loneliness and, perhaps, some measure of guilt.

These thoughts had been haunting him of late, his loneliness no doubt causing him to question his decision to head out on this quest by himself. He had meant to tell Ron and Hermione about the Horcruxes after Bill and Fleur's wedding, but, he'd never made it to the Burrow. Had he made the right choice? He knew they could have helped him on several occasions, but most other times, they surely would have died.

He knew it was selfish, but the reason he had opted to go on this journey by himself, was, after all to keep them safe. Harry sighed. He knew it wasn't his choice to make, as the others were fully capable, as he was, to make their own decisions. Harry sat up, as it was clear he wasn't getting any sleep this night. He pulled a twig out of the fire and looked at it pensively.

Family.

A simple word, really. A simple thing too, in and of itself. And yet... so fragile, so illusive... Harry let out a slow, deep breath. He had always been envious of Ron and Hermione. They had families who loved them unconditionally. They could look to one another for strength and support in times of need and their kin would always be there. He wondered if Ron and Hermione had gotten together, since he had thought Ron was starting to fancy their friend by the time their sixth year finished.

Perhaps. It was unfortunate that he could not in any way see how that relationship could possibly last. They were just too different and he feared Ron's jealousy would always boil over whenever Hermione made further strides in her life, and Harry knew she would go far. He would see to it. She was integral to his plans, after all. Besides, the Wizarding world deserved someone as brilliant as her in a position of power. Someone who was genuinely motivated to change things.

Harry sighed again. He had broken things off with Ginny, before it really evolved into anything, because he wanted her safe. He hoped she'd moved on. Harry mentally slapped himself. Of course she'd moved on; there was no chance a brilliant, beautiful and strong woman like Ginny Weasley had not found someone in all the time he'd been gone. Someone better than him. In matter of fact, her and Neville might make a good pair, now that he thought about it.

This whole damned war was starting to tear at him bit by bit. This wasn't the first time he found himself wallowing in self pity. Snorting disgustedly, Harry rose to his feet and trampled his little fire. He shouldered his Bag of Holding, put on his cap and walked on into the early morning, just before sunrise, towards a small village Fawkes had sent him to. As he trekked on, his mind drifted to the events that led to the start of his quest...

\------Roughly two years earlier-----

_Harry sat at his desk in his room at Nr. Four Privet Drive, his head resting in his palms. Almost a month had passed since Dumbledore's death at the hands of that treacherous snake, Severus Snape. Harry had barely slept since that night, his dreams filled with visions of that awful night, mixed with his experience in the cave, with the Inferi and that cursed bowl, which had not held the Horcrux in the end. All that effort and pain for nought._

_Harry kept blaming himself; he should have insisted Dumbledore let him consume that foul drink. If he had, the Headmaster would surely still be alive today, searching for the rest of the Horcruxes, Harry thought. And he would be right there, at his mentor's side. That was the way it should have been, but in one fell swoop, it had been taken away from him and Riddle strengthened his position in the war. He glanced at his alarm clock and found it was almost time for supper, but he was not hungry. Not that the other occupants of this house cared much. Most likely, they were happy not to have to look at his face any more than was required._

_He stood up and fed Hedwig, and stroked her feathers absent mindedly. The Horcruxes. He had to find them, he had to start looking for them sooner, rather than later, but he had no idea where to start. The Locket was missing and he simply had no idea where to look for it. Or any of the other Horcruxes for that matter. Perhaps Ron and Hermione might have some ideas. Three heads were better than one, after all. Though it had to be said, that compared to their friend, neither he nor Ron had much to offer to the think tank that was Hermione Jean Granger._

_He had been forced to stay at Nr. Four Privet Drive, against his own wishes. He had wanted to go to either NR. Twelve Grimmauld Place or the Burrow, but he had return to Little Whinging. To renew his protection, they said. Harry had disagreed. Surely the Dursleys were that much safer if he wasn't around. Besides, these blood wards could be useless now, since Tom had used his blood in the ritual that brought him back. But Lupin and Tonks would not hear it. It had been Dumbledore's wish and they would honour it._

_Harry turned off the light and gazed out his window, the night sky was pitch black, not a star in sight. A few minutes later, lightening streaked across the sky, followed by booming thunder. Again, the sky lit up, closer than before. Harry, who had foolishly stared into the flash, turned around, rubbing his eyes. He nearly yelped in surprise when he saw Fawkes, perching atop Hedwig's cage._

_Harry gave Hedwig a panicked look, but to his relief, his wise owl remained calm, if slightly fussed over the phoenix´s sudden appearance. It certainly would not do to have the Dursleys come in here, to discover another bird in his room; there was enough grumbling about Hedwig as it was. Harry wondered what his scarlet friend was doing here. After all, he had been certain the royal bird had left for good, after his master's death. He slowly raised his hand to Fawkes, who rested his head against the back of it. There was an aura of sadness around the majestic bird._

_“I know how you feel Fawkes. I´m sorry I couldn't do anything to prevent his death,” Harry said sadly._

_As Harry said that, he felt a feeling of peace coming from the bird. Evidently, the bird did not in any way hold Harry accountable for Dumbledore's demise. It was a small thing, but Harry felt surprisingly relieved at the notion. Guilt had been weighing on him terribly, so any small measure of peace was indeed welcome._

_“What brings you here, Fawkes? You can't stay here, you know. My relatives won't allow it. You would be welcome at the Burrow, I'm sure. They will take good care of you.”_

_The bird raised his head from Harry's hand, and jumped onto the teenager's shoulder. Harry reeled slightly; he had forgotten just how heavy the Phoenix was. Fawkes looked Harry square in the eye and then suddenly, he felt as if there was a tug behind his navel and a second later, he found himself on the top of a cliff, overlooking the ocean. Rain was pouring down, thunder boomed in his ears, lightning streaked across the sky and the wind came in from the west at a strong gale._

_He looked around frantically, but saw nothing that could shelter him from the elements. Eventually, though, he noticed Fawkes hovering at the edge of the cliff. Harry ran towards his feathered friend and felt a strange sensation ripple through his body. A few meters further, he suddenly noticed a well worn path, edged into the cliff. The feeling he'd felt earlier had to be a muggle repelling field, similar to the one surrounding Hogwarts, or perhaps a notice- me- not spell of some kind._

_Harry slowly made his way down the pathway, as there was a drop of several hundred feet into the sharp rocks in the surf below. After descending the winding path for quite a bit, he eventually rounded a bend in the rock face and found himself in a narrow ravine. Harry carefully made his way into it, coming upon a crevice, just wide enough for one person to walk through unhindered. Fawkes trilled ahead somewhere, urging him on._

_As Harry ventured further, he again felt the strange sensation in his body, and a few steps later, found himself in a massive cave. Wondering why the bird would bring him here, he walked onward, and then he saw it; a stone door. It was almost hidden among the stalagmites rising from the floor. Engraved into the center of the door was a lion, with scarlet rubies for eyes. Harry raised an eyebrow. A lion with scarlet eyes was an obvious reference to Gryffindor._

_Harry laid a hand on the door, pushed gently and the door opened slowly with a heavy, grating noise. Harry hesitated. While he was absolutely certain Fawkes would never intentionally endanger him, he had some misgivings about entering a place like that alone and unarmed. His wand lay on his desk at Privet Drive, after all. After a moment of looking into the doorway, he made up his mind. Or, rather, his cold and wet clothes made up his mind for him._

_It was pitch black inside, but as Harry stepped over the threshold, the whole place came alive. He heard torches turning ablaze and fireplaces roaring to life, as well as a host of other sounds he could not quite place. Soon though, things calmed down and the door closed slowly with a thump, apparently of its own accord._

_The young man turned to look at the door and pulled on it, but it remained closed. It seemed there was no turning back now. Harry looked around and discovered he was standing in a large foyer and he noted tapestries and torches lining the walls. He walked on, the only sound he heard now was the tell-tale snarking sound echoing from a nearby fireplace which, Harry noted, burned smokeless. As he wondered what powered this place, Harry slowly walked on and scratched his chin slowly._

_He smiled. He was actually starting to grow a little stubble, and it itched furiously at times. He shivered and made his way to the fireplace. He noted a painting of a pretty landscape, with trees and flowers, hanging above the fireplace. Rubbing his hands together, Harry brought them closer to he heat, trying to warm himself and dry his wet clothes. He grabbed a nearby chair and brought it to the fire and sat down. He rubbed his face with both hands slowly and took a deep breath as he did._

_“Who are you, and what are you doing in my house?”_

_Harry's head shot up at the noise and he saw an older gentleman in robes storming into the frame above his head. The man eyed Harry suspiciously and narrowed his eyes._

_“What?” Harry asked, to which the man gave him an annoyed look and gestured with his hand._

_“This is my house. I would know why you are here. It is really quite rude to enter another's house uninvited.”_

_Harry stood up and stared at the man. He recognized him from a portrait he'd seen in the Headmaster's office at Hogwarts a long time ago. “You're Godric Gryffindor, aren't you?”_

_The man inclined his head slightly. “I am, or rather was he, but my question still stands unanswered,” the man said firmly._

_“My name's Harry Potter. I was brought here by a phoenix named Fawkes, a former familiar of the late Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts. I've no idea why, though.”_

_Gryffindor's eyes lit up at the mention of the school he helped found almost ten centuries past. He rubbed his hands together excitedly, beaming at Harry._

_“Ah, Hogwarts! How is she fairing these days, my boy?”_

_Harry was a bit taken back by the sudden change in demeanour. Also, he found it strange how 'aware' the portrait seemed. Usually, they were not quite so... talkative. They were, at best, a faint imprint of their real life counterparts. Although the portraits in Hogwarts and especially in the Headmaster's office seemed similar to this one. Discarding that thought for later, Harry decided to answer the question._

_“I don't really know how to answer that question, master Gryffindor. It used to be great, bloody brilliant, actually. Now, though, with Headmaster Dumbledore murdered and Voldemort, no, Riddle rising in power, I don't know what the future holds for Hogwarts. Or the world for that matter.”_

_Gryffindor tapped his lips several times, before looking at Harry again. “Go into the hall, three doors down on your left is the kitchen. I will meet you there.”_

_And with that, he walked out of the frame. Harry stood up and walked into the hall at the other end of the foyer. He walked slowly down the hall and found the kitchen. He saw Gryffindor waiting for him in a painting of a bowl of fruit on the far wall. The Hogwarts founder pointed to a door in the corner, opposite the entrance to the kitchen._

_“There is food in the larder, lad. You should eat, you look famished.”_

_Harry frowned slightly. “You know, it's been a thousand years since you died. I doubt the food has kept.”_

_Gryffindor smiled knowingly. “I am well aware of the date, thank you. Today is the twenty seventh of July nineteen ninety seven. The food will taste horribly stale, but it will be in edible condition, I assure you.”_

_Harry went into the larder, which was cool and fresh. He brought out a loaf of bread and cheese and butter. He looked questioningly at Gryffindor, who smiled in satisfaction, as if to say; I told you so._

_“A magical stasis charm, designed specifically for foodstuffs and alchemical substances, my boy, though it can be used for other purposes. A fine invention of my dear Helga.”_

_Harry found the food was indeed stale, but certainly edible. After a while, Gryffindor cleared his throat, and Harry looked at him, chewing a bit of cheese._

_“I have not had visitors in a long, long time... What is your connection to this Dumbledore's murder and this 'Voldemort', Mr. Potter?”_

_Harry swallowed his cheese, and pushed the plate away. Sod it, he might as well tell the old man, who was going to know? Besides, he was leaving shortly, he had to go home._

_“Voldemort, or rather, Tom Riddle, wants me dead. During his first reign, there was a prophecy, wherein a boy was born at the end of July, to parents who had defied him three times. The boy would have the power to defeat him. There was another, my friend Neville, but Tom chose me, for some reason. Dumbledore seems, sorry, seemed to think Tom saw himself in me... He murdered my parents, but couldn't kill me, because my mum willingly sacrificed herself for me, causing the killing curse to backfire. It almost killed the... snake, but he's returned.”_

_Harry was seething now. “He has tried to kill me several times, but failed, obviously. Ha calls himself The Dark Lord and he thinks I am his nemesis, the one man alive who can defeat him. He hates Muggles and half-bloods or anyone, really. He wants to create a perfect wizard world with himself at the top. But that is not enough._

_No, he wants to defy death, live forever and he will do whatever it takes to reach his goal. Sure, I have foiled him more than once, but I'm a seventeen year old teenager, for fuck sake! What can I possibly do to him, now that he has fully returned, his power unmatched, surely? Nothing! I can do nothing the way I am now!”_

_Harry grabbed his plate and threw it against the wall, breaking it into a hundred tiny pieces. With his fists clenched at his sides, the boy shook violently as he looked at the pieces on the floor, an angry frown on his face and his teeth gnashing. Gryffindor watched the young man with interest. He was young, but there was spirit in him, no denying that, and a sense of responsibility, of duty. Gryffindor was certain that, if given the choice, young Harry would take up the fight against this enemy. He pinched the bridge of his nose for a moment, thinking._

_“This Voldemort person you speak of, what can you tell me of him? What do you know of the events that lead him to become so hateful towards regular humans?”_

_Harry looked at Gryffindor wearily. Now the portrait was asking about Tom Riddle? He underscored a mental note to ask Gryffindor about how he was so much more 'alive' than any other portrait he'd seen before. Taking a deep breath, Harry went, with some detail, over Tom's life, with the old founder listening intently, nodding along._

_“So, his father abandoned the pregnant mother, thus dooming her and her unborn son to a life of poverty. Tom's mother died and he was put in a orphanage, which he hated as most orphans do. He must have resented his mother, when he found she had magic, but refused to practice the art, or too weak. A near squib, then. Such a childhood is certain to breed resentment, contempt, even hate. It is unfortunate he transferred his hatred of his father to all Muggles, but it is understandable, given his upbringing.”_

_Harry nodded. These were all things he had heard before. These were very similar to Dumbledore's musings on the very same issue._

_“What became of you after your parents were murdered, Harry?”_

_“I was raised by my aunt, my mother's sister, Petunia and her husband Vernon.”_

_“Was it a good home, a good life?”_

_Harry snorted derisively. “No. I was made to live in a cupboard under the stairs, until my second year at Hogwarts, when they became too afraid to keep me in the cupboard any longer. They even tried to hide my Hogwarts admission letter from me, to keep me from going! Their son, Dudley and his friends bullied me constantly and I had to wear hand me downs. After I met another boy named Ron Weasley on my way to Hogwarts, his family, in a way adopted me, but I always had to go back to the Dursleys over the summer. For my own protection, Dumbledore said. Something about blood wards.”_

_Gryffindor watched the boy with an inquisitive look, his index finger tapping his lips. “There certainly are similarities between you and this Tom Riddle,” Gryffindor said, before raising his hands in a disarming gesture at Harry's angry gaze. “Now, now, don't get angry lad, I'm just stating a fact. Tell me, do you ever wish your parents had lived, and this other boy... Neville, had lost his parents and lived such a life, instead of you?”_

_Harry crossed his arms over hist chest and stared hard at Gryffindor. “I won't deny it. There have been times, when I've been at my lowest, where I have wondered about this possibility. But then, I would not wish this life upon anyone, especially a friend. Besides, out of the two of us, Neville's fate was definitely worse than mine._

_His parents were tortured to insanity with the Cruciatus curse by an evil witch called Bellatrix Lestrange. Frank and Alice Longbottom were good people and respected. They are now permanent residents at St. Mungo's hospital's psychiatric ward and Neville lives with his grandmother, Augusta. He visits them, you know, on holidays and such, but they don't even recognize him. That's worse than dead parents, if you ask me.”_

_The older man sat silent for a moment before he cleared his throat. “History has a way of repeating itself, Harry. In my time, there was a dark witch named Morgan LeFay, also known as Morgana. She was the daughter of Gorlais, the Duke of Cornwall and Lady Igraine. Uther Pendragon fell in love with Lady Igraine and went to war with Gorlais for her hand. Some time during the war, a prophecy was made, which foretold the birth of a man, who would unite Britain under his rule.”_

_“King Arthur, right?” Harry asked._

_Gryffindor smiled at Harry. “Yes, that man was indeed Arthur Pendragon. Myrddin Emrys, whom you know as Merlin, heard the prophecy and when Uther approached him for a way to make Igraine his, Emrys saw an opportunity to make certain at least the first part of the prophecy came to pass. Uther, disguised as Gorlois, got Igraine with child, the very night Gorlois was killed. Soon after, with Emry's help, the war ended and Uther made Igraine his wife._

_Now, Morgana always resented Uther for his actions against her father and that resentment she also felt for her half brother Arthur. When she became an adult, she was promised to a man, whom she was unsatisfied with and she ran away from home, eventually finding her way to Avalon, where she learned magic for a time. She was eventually cast out by the Avalonians, as her dark nature and obsession with vengeance against the king came apparent.”_

_Gryffindor's eyes had almost misted over by now as he recounted tales of ages past. “As time went on, she became more and more focused on having her revenge on the Pendragons. She supplied the Saxons with poison, which they used to kill King Uther and Arthur succeeded his father as Lord of Camelot. Shortly thereafter, Arthur was given Excalibur by the Lady of the Lake. Around this time, he married his love Guinevere, and founded the Order of the Round Table. They fought against injustice and united the realm.”_

_Harry remained silent, which Gryffindor took as a sign to continue with his story._

_“I'm sure you have heard of some of the knights, Lancelot, Gawain and Galahad. I fondly remember Valiant, a prince from far away Thule, who brought with him his Singing Sword, a weapon gifted to him by his rival and later friend, Arn of Ord when they attempted to free the Lady Ilene who had been kidnapped by Viking raiders. Then, there was Mordred, who was the secret, bastard son of Morgana._

_All of us warned Arthur against Mordred, but the king would not be dissuaded. He took the young lad into his confidence and soon knighted him. They got along famously and they shared an intimate bond and I'm certain it would have become stronger than the very foundations of the earth, but alas. At his mother's behest he would eventually betray Arthur, and they fought a bitter duel in the battle of Camlann, where Arthur killed Mordred, but not before being fatally wounded himself. He was taken to Avalon, where they buried him at a location known only to the Priestesses of the Island realm.”_

_Harry looked at Gryffindor flatly. He had not been expecting a lecture on Arthurian legend that long. The old man smiled apologetically._

_“I beg your pardon, old habits, I suppose. But the point I was trying to make is, every few generations there will be a war. A villain will rise up and someone will rise against that servant of the dark. Such is the way it has always been.” Harry yawned and seemed to be falling asleep and Gryffindor decided it might be a good idea to tease him a bit. “And it seems the Lady of the Light has chosen you as her Champion.”_

_Harry suddenly became alert once more and stared at the older man. “What? Please tell me you're joking.”_

_Gryffindor chuckled at him and waved his hand. “Don't mind me, lad.”_

_Harry narrowed his eyes at Godric, before yawning widely again. He rubbed his eyes a bit and stretched his neck. He was awfully tired. He stared at the table for a while, contemplating what Gryffindor had said. He was the Champion of the Light? A gesture from Gryffindor brought Harry out of his reverie._

_“Again, do not worry, Harry. I do not believe you to be an agent of some deity, it was more a figure of speech. Now, You should find a bed to lie in, before you fall asleep on your feet. We can talk more in the morning. There are things we must talk of and things we must do, soonest. At the end of the hall, you will find the stairwell to the upper floor, the sleeping quarters. Please take any room and rest. I daresay you need it!”_

_Harry nodded, got to his feet and headed to the sleeping quarters. Tired as he was, he went into the first room he saw; a simply furnished chamber, with a small bed and an armoire standing at the far wall. The bed seemed surprisingly comfortable and Harry lay onto the dun mattress and was fast asleep within moments._

_000000_

_Harry's eyes opened and he looked around frantically, nervous in the unfamiliar surroundings. Soon, though, he calmed down as he remembered the events of the night. He brought his hands to rest behind his head on the pillow, staring at the ceiling. Gryffindor had said there were things they had to do, and quickly, by the way he'd talked._

_Harry wondered what that could mean. A moment later, his rumbling stomach decided he'd stayed in bed far too long and so a yawning Harry got to his feet and stretched lazily. He left his room and made his way to the kitchen, where he found Gryffindor staring at the door impatiently. With his arms crossed, Gryffindor tapped his upper left arm repeatedly and was obviously somewhat annoyed._

_“I trust you slept well? You must have, as it is late afternoon. Well, you were very tired and quite sleep deprived, so I'll let that one pass, but please, do not let it happen again. There are few things as annoying as a pupil who does not arrive on time for his lessons.”_

_Harry simply stared at the portrait, his mouth hanging open slightly. “What? Pupil? I don't understand. And I can't do that. I have to go home.”_

_Gryffidor smiled slightly at the reaction from Harry. “I was unsure at first, whether you were fit for it, but after spending the rest of the night and early morning contemplating this, I've come to the conclusion that I will help you in your endeavour against this Voldemort fellow. And you must stay here, I cannot help you if you leave. Do not worry, Harry. You're quite safe, so long as you do not wander out of the cave.”_

_Harry crossed his arms over his chest, and cocked his head slightly to one side, eyeing the older man warily. “First off, call him Riddle, which is his name. I refuse to empower him by using that ridiculous made up name of his. Second, why would you help me, a person you just met, and similarly, why should I trust you, and accept your help?”_

_“These are all wise questions, Harry. We spoke of evil mages last night, Harry and while we only mentioned two, they had quite a few things in common. You know the things of which I speak, Harry and you must have wondered about the similarities between you three. You must understand, no one is born evil, nor is it something that happens overnight._

_It is a gradual process, which usually culminates in an event that pushes people too far and they can't find their way back. This could quite easily have been you, lad. By some stroke of luck, or fate, you met Mr. Weasley and struck up a friendship with him. I assume you found other friends at Hogwarts?”_

_At Harry's nod, Godric smiled. “Good. Love is a very powerful healing agent, Harry. It heals the soul. Yours needed healing and you found it, to some extent. Tom Riddle seems, from what you tell me, to be unable to love and in fact, may not understand the feeling at all. The same could be said of Morgana. I think she must have been incapable of love._

_At the very least, she did not love her son Mordred. He was merely another, easily discarded tool in her mad quest for revenge. I suspect Mordred's betrayal and murder of the king was mostly the desperate attempt of a young, burdened man to gain his mother's approval. I can see that you will fight to your last breath to make sure no one has to go through the ordeals you've had to endure in your life. It is an admirable goal, a goal I wish to help you achieve.”_

_Frowning, Harry leaned against the kitchen table, his arms still folded over his chest and looked at Gryffindor with a steady gaze. It was true, he needed help, desperately. The way he was now, there was no chance he could defeat Riddle. The difference in both power and experience was vast and ever growing. He most likely would not even survive the challenge of finding the Horcruxes themselves. That aside, how was the old man going to help him? A bloody painting, of all things. Of course, it was evident this was not an ordinary painting._

_“Every portrait I've ever 'met' was at best a faint imprint of their real life counterparts, like an echo. Sure, they talk and move around, but they are very limited in the way they can interact with the world around them. Talk to one for long enough and you'll start to see it, how they will start to repeat themselves. Well, aside from the portraits at Hogwarts. You're not like that, you are proactive, make deductions... I wonder why that is. And why isn't the world full of paintings like yours? And lastly, how is this place still humming with magic after all this time, it should have faded ages ago.”_

_Gryffindor chuckled softly. “When I felt I was nearing my end, I heard of a young man with an extraordinary gift. He could paint a person´s portrait and weave into them a part of the subject's soul. I sent for him and had my portrait painted, much to my dear Helga's chagrin. Vain, she said it was, but then she always was extremely pragmatic, whereas I, on the other hand was a hopeless romantic._

_I felt I still had something to offer this world and I was certain a time would come where I was needed. Oh, and of course it was in part, an old man's whim! I wanted to leave something behind for future generations, should they require my help, so I built this dwelling, my secret fortress, if you will, known only to Helga and me.”_

_Harry looked back at Gryfffindor, slightly annoyed. He could not understand how this place was going to help anyone, when it was hidden, unknown to all. Also, why had he never heard of such paintings before. Surely the man´s services would have been much sought after. He voiced his doubts to the old man, who answered promptly._

_“First, the young painter was set upon by bandits and killed on his journey home a very sad end and the secret of his paintings died with him. Well, it died with me, really, as I had understood how he did it and I imbued Hogwarts with some of that magic. I imagine the portraits are quite helpful, lad. Secondly, I am, or was, a firm believer in fate and my belief has, thus far not failed me._

_The fates brought me to my lovely Helga and my meeting Salazar and Rowena was firmly fated, of that I have no doubt. I was similarly certain fate would bring those who needed my help to me and here you are, in the flesh. I refuse to believe otherwise. As to how this place has not faded away, I left a good portion of my power tied to this place, in a device you will find in my chambers, at the very heart of this house. I will show it to you, as it is one the things I feel can aid you in your quest. All I ask is that you trust an old man and listen to his teachings.”_

_Harry nodded slowly. He did not understand why, but he trusted the old man completely. He felt safe, somehow, a feeling similar to the one he´d felt whenever around Dumbledore. Godric clapped his hands happily, beaming at Harry as he did._

_“Excellent, my boy! We should get started right after you've eaten, we´ve no time to lose! I will see you down in the cellar in a moment.”_

_As the teenager ate, he wondered if he was doing the right thing. He had not planned on this, of course. Fawkes seemed to have, though. It was just as well, the magical protection he'd always had whenever he stayed at Nr. Four Privet Drive would have ceased to function at his seventeenth birthday. They would have had to relocate him sooner rather than later._

_He knew Order of the Phoenix would be in an uproar right now, with him gone. He had spotted his guardians more than once, when they did not take enough care to remain hidden. They'd been posted at Privet Drive for his protection, making rounds through the neighbourhood, looking for anything amiss._

_All this trouble for his sake, and him unable to do anything. All he did was burden everybody and it made him sick. It was time for him to take matters into his own hands. Be master of his own life for a change. He now felt he needed to undertake the search for the Hocruxes on his own. This was his responsibility, and he would see it done, while keeping his loved ones safely away. Standing up, he stretched, and rubbed the back of his neck. Taking a deep breath, he steeled himself for what was to come..._


	2. III

III

It was early afternoon and Molly Weasley worked in her kitchen with practised ease. It was the twins birthday today, and she wanted to make them a special supper in celebration. She smiled. How fitting her goofy lads' birthday happened on April first. It would be a nice, large gathering, what with the Burrow being the second headquarters of the Order. After the Death Eater attack, the Burrow had been rebuilt, stronger and safer than ever. Much stronger wards had been placed around the home as well, courtesy of Bill and Gringotts.

Of course, some people would not make it, busy on assignments, no doubt. She eyed Ron, Ginny and Hermione in the living room. Ron was quietly whispering to Hermione, who laughed silently and swatted him on the arm playfully. They were happy, it was clear and Molly hoped with all her heart they would have the chance to live their lives to the fullest, once the war was over. Ginny threw a pillow at them, which Ron caught in the face, resulting in a curse and a great belly full of laughter from the girls.

Molly smiled happily at her kids. These were good times in the Burrow, strangely enough. All of her children, aside from Bill lived here now with their significant others. Except Ginny, of course. She was still attending Hogwarts, her NEWTs coming up at the end of May. Even Percy had returned home when he found his senses and accepted the fact that You-Know-Who had returned.

There was one missing, though. She sighed deeply and closed her eyes before looking at the marvellous clock of the Weasleys. Originally, it had been equipped with nine hands, though more were added as the family got larger, one for each member. Most of them pointed at the word 'home', with the heads of Fred and George, along with their girlfriends, Angelina Johnson and Alicia Spinnet pointing at 'In Transit'. She hoped they would not be late. The last one was stuck at 'Mortal Peril' and had remained there for the better part of two years now. Molly fought back the tears that always threatened to fall whenever she dared to look at the clock. She missed her boy so much.

While it was true Harry wasn't actually her son, she did think of him as her own. She certainly was more of a mother to the boy than that aunt of his. An awful woman, that one. She smiled sadly as she remembered the first time he came to the Burrow all those years ago. Those boys and their mischief, flying that blasted car to Surrey to rescue Harry. It was a good thing they did, though. She trembled slightly; bars on his window, for Merlin's sake. Ill fed, as well. Who did such things to a child trusted to their care? Well, she and Arthur had always tried their best to make him feel a part of this family. Harry been happy about it as well. The magical sense of wonder that always played upon his face when seeing the most mundane of things was such an endearing quality, matched only by Arthur's similar expression when he discussed Muggles with his adopted son.

But she had noticed changes in him and they hadn't been good ones. A haunting look had found its way into his eyes after the fourth year at Hogwarts, and that awful thing in the graveyard with You-know-who and had gotten so much worse after the death of Sirius. Smiles rarely reached his eyes after that fateful day. She could hardly imagine what he was going through, even though she had lost her two brothers, Fabian and Gideon in the last war. Difference was, she had been an adult when they died, thusly better equipped to deal with the pain and sorrow. And of course she'd had Arthur to lean on for support. Harry´d been just a boy and as good as alone in that awful Dursley house.

And then, he had lost Dumbledore. He'd already lost so much, yet he was the most selfless person she knew. He had already saved Ginny's life once, without a care for his own. And if it hadn't been for his vision of that snake's attack on Arthur... He'd willingly run into danger for a stranger, if he had the power to help them. Courageous and noble to the point of foolishness, was Harry Potter. A lone tear ran down her cheek and she felt her husband wrap her in a hug from behind. She leaned into him, crying softly. She was displeased with herself, she was supposed to be stronger than that! Arthur kissed her neck behind her ear and stroked her hair softly.

“He´ll be fine, you´ll see. He´s a resourceful lad.” Molly turned to face her husband, her features composed once more. She laid a hand on his chest, a slight frown forming on her brow. She saw the truth in her man's eyes; he was trying to reassure himself, as much as her.

“That's just it, Arthur. He is just a boy and it's been so long. I'm so afraid for him. I keep thinking about him all alone out there, cold, hungry, perhaps even hurt. I cannot bear the thought.”

With that she regained her composure and went back to her work and busied herself with the potatoes, expertly peeling them. Arthur looked out the window, frowning. That bloody boy had better be all right and he had better find his way home...

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Later that night, once the festivities had run their course, Ron lay in bed and Hermione lay beside him, reading some book. The book looked heavy and long enough, that Ron knew he'd never, ever read the thing. Hell, he got bored even thinking about reading it. He stretched his hands behind his head and Hermione put her book onto the night stand. She snuggled closer to Ron and kissed his lips softly. Ron's left hand wrapped around his lover and hugged her closer to him. He swore, he would never let her go. She was his. He didn't really know how they had ended up together, but a few months after Harry's disappearance, they'd ended up in bed one night and that was it, they'd become a couple.

“Dad caught Mum looking at the blasted clock again today. Did you see?”

Hermione winced. “Yes, I saw. She´s been doing that more and more often. She'll fret herself to death if this goes on for much longer. I also wonder all the time where Harry is, or if he's even alive at all. It pains me to say it, but he could honestly be dead, Ron. I don't think Riddle's killed him, he'd have made certain the world knew about it as soon as it happened. That might just win him the war outright, without further bloodshed. Much to his dismay, I'd imagine.”

Ron grunted his assent at that last part. He knew Hermione's logic was sound, it usually was. But still, he refused to accept the notion his best friend might be dead. He could not. Annoyingly, they did not have any idea what had led to Harry's disappearance. The Order members stationed at Little Whinging had reported some sort of freak thunderstorm and lighting they'd never seen before. As soon as they were able, they had gone to check on Harry, only to find him gone. There had been no evidence of foul play, no forced entry, no traces of magic, so they knew he had not Apparated and his wand had been left on his desk. Hedwig had also seemed remarkably unperturbed, if unhappy.

She was now in Hagrid's care. His friend's disappearance had also left Mrs. Dursley in a right state. According to Tonks and Lupin, she had spent almost a quarter hour screaming at them for not doing a better job of protecting her nephew. That she cared had surprised everyone quite a bit. After all, her treatment of her nephew suggested the opposite. Even so, Harry was her last living relative, aside from her son and husband, so perhaps Harry had managed to find his way into her heart after all. He had a way of doing that.

Now, Ron missed his friend quite a bit, but he had a gnawing problem. There was a tiny part in the back of his mind that kept whispering to him every time someone mentioned Harry that, now that the bloody Boy-Who-Lived was gone, Ron finally had a chance to step out of Harry's shadow. Make a name for himself as something other than Harry Potter's friend. Worst, however, were the times when the voice would tell him Hermione would always choose Harry over him in the end. That they were so much more compatible than Ron himself and her. But what Ron felt was possibly even worse was the fact that the voice wasn't wrong.

While Ron was lost in his thoughts, Hermione rested her head on his chest and listened to his heartbeat. It was slightly elevated. She knew why, certainly. Not only because Ron had always been easy to read and wore his heart on his sleeve. No, it was simply because she felt much the same, as did Ginny, she suspected. Their best friend was missing and there was not a single thing they could do about it. The Order had searched far and wide, with nothing to show for their efforts. Once she and Ron became full Order members after graduating from Hogwarts, they too had joined in the search, their frantic despair deepening as days turned into weeks, and the weeks into months.

Eventually the news spread, and there was widespread fear among wizards, a moment Tom Riddle had seized and attacked several towns and villages. Nothing major, but enough to announce his return without a shred of doubt. The attacks had been getting larger and more violent in recent months, however. To those old enough to remember the first war, the first few weeks after Dumbledore's death were like gazing into the past. People disappearing, bodies found here and there, distrust forming among friends. Anyone could be under the influence of the Imperius Curse, after all. At first, measures were put into place to try and seek those individuals out, but it was hard work and slow. Especially if the subject was skilled at Occlumency. And of course, the Ministry was corrupt, so after a while the funding was diverted somewhere else and the effort was halted. Knowing she wasn't going to solve any of this right then, Hermione turned off the light and went to sleep.

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Ginny slowly eased herself into the bath and sighed contently as the water engulfed her. She relished this chance to be alone, to be left to herself, without the constant looks of worry her mother gave her. Well, almost everyone gave her these looks, as of late. Her mother was no better off than she was, always looking at that damned clock as if she was seeing it for the first time. Ginny had long since decided to leave the clock alone, as had most of the others. It wasn't as if looking at it would magically bring Harry back. He was in her thoughts constantly, though. She kept dreaming such horrible things, Harry being dead, being tortured, Riddle displaying Harry like some sort of trophy on the Hogwarts grounds. But there were happy ones, too. Images of them living together, married life, with small children running about. She missed him dearly, but it was the uncertainty, not knowing where he was, or if he was, in fact still alive that hurt the most. Nearly two years with no word. Nothing to cling to but the unreasonable hope that one day, he would come back to them.

He loved her, she knew, or at least he had, on that day when he broke things off between them. She'd always refused to acknowledge his reason for them parting ways. For her protection? Hmph. He was afraid Riddle would come for her, if he knew they were lovers. Well, let him come, then. She would gladly give Riddle a piece of her mind and provide a healthy helping of Bat-Bogey Hexes. Smiling, she began to wash herself. What would Harry be like now, after all this time? Did Harry still feel the same way as he did back then? The smile was replaced with a frown. She desperately needed an answer. Starting during Neville's last year, she and him had been spending quite a bit of time together at Hogwarts and they were greatly attracted to one another. It did help quite a bit that Neville had gained a lot of confidence since he finished Hogwarts.

Ginny wasn't shallow, but Neville had become much more desirable after he'd lost a bit of weight. Neville had taken on a position as Professor Sprout's assistant, but he was really there to help McGonagall to keep an eye on things and relations between staff and students were not allowed, so they had not taken it any further than stolen kisses here and there. Yet. She felt somewhat guilty, even if Harry had no control over what she did with her life. And he had ended the relationship, not her. She loved him still, and probably always would, but perhaps it was time to move on, to take the fledgling relationship with Neville further. Two years was quite a long time, after all. Ginny stepped out of the bath and dried herself.

She looked herself in the eye, in the mirror, while she braided her long, fiery red hair. There was another matter weighing on her mind, one about which she had reached a decision, and she would have to tell her mother soon. She was joining the Order, no matter what her mother said. It was her right and she would not take no for an answer. In a few months time, she would be eighteen and out of Hogwarts in a mere few weeks and there would be nothing anyone could do to stop her. Oh, her mother would yell and cry. He youngest child joining the war? Unthinkable. An absolute travesty. Ron and Hermione were doing their bit and the way Ginny saw it, she had no right to do any less, so long as she was able.

000000

She stared out the window, her eyes noting the cars going by. They really were resourceful and innovative the Muggles, she had to admit. The things they had built, the amazing feats of engineering, all accomplished without the use of magic. Of course, to most Purebloods, some of the things the Muggles had at their disposal might seem like some obscure magic. She heard her oldest sister approach to stand beside her, also to look through the window.

“Thinking of Harry?”

“Aren't I always?” she asked. “He's not been around for some time. I'm worried.”

“We're all worried. He's alright, I can feel it. The bond is quiet, if a bit turbulent. It grows weaker every day and I do not expect it to last more than a few days further, at most. His strength is incredible. It, more than anything, has helped me heal as well and quickly as I have.”

The younger sister nodded and returned to her observation of the muggle world. So Harry was safe. She was glad of it and the news helped settle her heart. He usually came by every week, but he had missed several meetings. She stole a look at her sister's reflection in the glass and marvelled at the changes in her. She had filled out nicely since Harry had rescued her and her gorgeous black hair had finally regained its lustre and the bright violet eyes were shining as they once had. And lastly, the familiar, mischievous glint that had been absent from those same eyes for far too long was firmly in place once more. Both saw the third sister's reflection in the window as she approached and stepped in between them, as had been her place since birth.

“Worried about Harry? Well, I can't say I'm not. I'm just happy you two found someone actually worth worrying over, sisters.”

The other two gave her a look, at which she chuckled. and raised her hands in defeat. She was just as worried as they were, and they knew it, too.

“How did the session go?” the youngest one asked gently.

“It went very well. I believe our dear older sister is almost at the end of her road to recovery. She draws strength from Harry and it has helped immensely. I'm confident the bond will disappear any day now. Usually a therapy like this takes months, at least, so it just goes to prove your strength, sister.”

“I just wish he was here. I dislike him being out there by himself when I, no we should be there with him,” the eldest confessed.

Her youngest sister nodded slowly. “We all do, sister. He would never allow it, as well you know. He'd never forgive himself if something happened to any of us.”

A comfortable silence followed as the three sisters watched on through the window as the Muggles went about their business, not even aware of the house that was strangely missing between 43 and 47...

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At dawn, Harry quit the forest and found himself in a large meadow. He shivered slightly. Spring was well and truly upon the land, but it was still bitterly cold in the mornings. He had always liked the wee hours of the morning, the peace and quiet it afforded. It gave you time to think, to ponder the world and its trappings. Harry took a deep breath, the cold, fresh air flowing into his lungs. No sounds, except his own breathing could be heard. At least nothing a normal Muggle, or wizard could hear, but Harry wasn't normal by any definition. Not any more.

He closed his eyes, raised his arms a little from his sides, palms forward, and focused on his breathing. A slow, deep and a steady rhythm. He felt the power of the earth, the air, and himself. Soon, he could feel small creaks in the earth as the last vestiges of winter, slowly, but surely left the soil. There was a squirrel in a nearby tree and a mouse scurried along the ground. He could feel the trees moving, as if they were stretching towards the warmth of the rising sun. This was nature in its purest form. He never tired of this experience and he did it often, as often as possible, as Gryffindor had advised. Every place was different, with it's own unique sound and feel, and he wanted to experience as many as possible. Harry lowered his arms slowly, opening his eyes as he did. He smiled at the sun and plunged himself into his memories as he crossed the meadow.

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_The young man entered the basement of Gryffindor's stronghold. The room was vast and seemed to serve as both an alchemical lab, as well as an armoury. Desks and tables, filled with various contraptions and containers lined the southern wall of the room. Shelves lined the other walls and in them, you'd find either flasks or books. Over on the northern side, there were racks upon racks of weapons and armour, as well as several dummies, obviously meant to be used for training. Harry made his way over to the weapons and armour and examined them closely. Almost every kind of weapon imaginable was stored there; knives, swords, axes, many kinds of pole arms and a pair of bows. One bow was very long while the other was shorter and the ends curved outwards. And lastly, several shields leaned against the wall. Eventually, Harry picked up one of the swords and swung it around a bit._

_“_ _You like those, lad? Of course you do,” Gryffindor said jovially. “Every young man does, after all. The one you're holding, we called a Bastard sword, or a hand and a half sword. Light enough to use with one hand, big enough to swing with both. Over there we have a regular longsword and a pair of scimitars, brought to me by a travelling friend. A spear, and a staff as well. You look puzzled.”_

_Harry nodded at Gryffindor, who was standing in a painting of a suit of armour this time. Harry continued to browse the various items stored there. These were quality items, it was clear. He had read that Gryffindor was a skilled duellist in his time, but to have so many..._

_“I find it a bit strange for a wizard to have so many weapons, when you could easily dispatch anyone with magic, powerful as you were.”_

_Gryffindor inclined his head. “I was a very good swordsman. In fact I was one of the very best. I was very young when I started training my swordplay. My father thought it foolish, being a wizard himself, but my mother was quite happy. She was born to Muggle parents and came late into her magic. You must understand, Harry, that at the time, duelling, magical or otherwise, was a very common way of dealing with arguments. I was of the opinion that using magic in a duel against Muggles was unfair, not to mention dishonourable. Of course, if discovered, it would also cause all sorts of problems, as you can imagine.” “Yeah, that's true,” Harry said with a nod. “There's also the fact that most magical beings, such as giants, dragons, werewolves, vampires and many more are resistant to magic, some extremely so. An enchanted melee weapon is a much safer bet. At least when travelling alone. With enough knowledgeable and capable wizards, you can subdue almost anything. Every weapon you see here is made from a metal called Meteoritic Silverite. While the substance is extremely rare and expensive, it is well worth the price, since it is much stronger and more durable than regular silver.”_

_I'm sure you know silver is useless against werewolves and vampires, but the same goes for most of the supernatural creatures. Silverite is quite effective, however. It's the purity of it, you see. It is also readily imbued with magic, making it ideal for monster slaying. I suspect you will come in contact with some of those beings on your quest, so it would not go amiss for you to learn the sword and, perhaps the bow as well.”_

_Harry looked at the portrait of Gryffindor with a very sceptic look. Swords? He did not have time to waste on learning to fight with something that looked like an unduly long kitchen knife. And yet what Gryffindor said made sense. Harry knew he could not use his magic, since he'd left his wand at his aunt's house and as long as he was bonded to his own wand, he could not use another one. Family, those related by blood could somewhat get by with the wand of a relative, but it was never the same. A prime example of this was Neville, and the Weasley children. But what did Gryffindor have planned for him? That man was entirely too mysterious for Harry's liking._

_“How do you plan on helping me? If you plan to, I must insist we get to it. I also should go get my wand, I won't be doing any magic without it. I was never any good at wandless magic. Wait, that's not a good idea; the Ministry is corrupt and they will most definitely not deactivate the Trace on my wand. So, I suppose I'll have to do without.”_

_At that moment, Harry really hated that a wizard could only be bonded to a single wand at a time. So long as your wand remained whole, that was the wand you'd use your whole life. Gryffindor was silent for a moment, then spoke in a grave voice._

_“I agree, we must make haste, but too much is folly. If you rush into this unprepared, you will most certainly perish. There are a few things I have planned for you, Harry and it will speed your progress greatly, but it will still take months, at the very least.”_

_Harry did not like the sound of that. “But that's-”_

_“Harry, this Tom Riddle is quite clearly very powerful, much more so than you are at the moment, so the first order of business should be to lessen that gap, if we can. I happen to have a way to do so, but in order for us to be successful in that endeavour, we must do something about that body of yours. You're nought but skin and bones.”_

_Harry looked down on himself, frowning. There was nothing wrong with his body! Sure, he was lean, well, OK, he was a scrawny little git. But he was healthy, he rarely got sick and even if he did, he always recovered quickly. Before Harry had time to reply, however, Gryffindor continued._

_“As I said, I have a way to make you much more powerful, Harry, in an instant. Your body, however, will never be able to handle a sudden influx of power of the magnitude I speak of. Thus, we must enhance your body, and the only way for you to achieve that quickly enough is by consuming a potion Merlin and I concocted when Arthur was fighting Morgana. There were dark and hopeless times in that war, where victory seemed impossible. We created this potion as an alternate plan. If we thought the war effort seemed lost, we would give the potion to the Knights of the Round Table, in a desperate plan to weather the storm. We never used it, though, as the war ended several weeks later._

_"The reason I believe you must consume the potion is because of the way magic works within the body. As we grow older, we become more powerful, as you know. Some by quite a bit, others not as much. Magical power increases gradually over time, and the body slowly regulates it. Too much too quickly may cause unrepairable damage. There are techniques one can use to improve their body's regulation of magical energies and I will seek to teach you what I know, before you will be granted the power I intend to give you. But we must be very cautious in this endeavour.”_

_Harry listened to Gryffindor with great interest. Finally, they were getting somewhere. This might be the answer to most of his problems. But there had to be a catch. No rose came without thorns, after all. “But how does it work, exactly? What are the effects and how does it achieve them? Surely there are side effects from such an invasive treatment?”_

_“You are quite correct, my boy, there will be difficult hurdles to overcome once you've taken the potion. When we created the potion, we collected the essence of several beings and mixed them with ingredients meant to open up several points in the body and mind. Your body will fuse itself with these spirits. Imagine having the eyesight of the owl, hearing of the bat and the wolf's sense of smell. You'd have the agility of the cat, and vastly superior physical strength and endurance, compared to other humans.”_

_Harry stared at Gryffindor. “This sounds too good to be true. There has to be something that prevented you from simply giving the potion to all the Knights,” Harry said._

_“Yes,” Gryffindor said and inclined his head in acceptance. “Only those of the strongest will could ever hope to come through this with their sanity intact. We ran three tests and all of them failed. One died almost as soon as he drank the potion and the subjects that survived became feral and dangerous and had to be put down.”_

_“Oh,” Harry said simply._

_“You see, the spirits within the concoction would try to overtake their minds. The potion itself was working correctly, but their minds were not strong enough. You must overcome their spirits and bend them to your will, Harry. Once you have done so, and I hope you can, the melding shall take place and you will acquire the traits I mentioned earlier.”_

_Harry had a horrified expression on his face, as if he was seeing the man in front of him for the first time. He rubbed his arms slowly, shaking. “You performed those tests on humans? That's disgusting and wrong in so many ways!”_

_Gryffindor looked sharply on Harry, disapproval apparent in his eyes. “Don't be naive, Harry. Those were desperate times. The lives of those men, all of whom were willing participants, was a small price to pay, if it could lead to a victory against Morgana. War sometimes leads men down paths they never thought they would go; all for the greater good. I daresay you will find yourself at those same crossroads sooner than you think, and more often. Now, I ask you; what will you do?”_

_Harry cringed slightly. This wasn't fair. Why was Gryffindor being so forceful, putting him on the spot like that? Would he be willing to do whatever was necessary to achieve victory against Tom? No, that would not do. There were lines he and others on this side of the war could never cross, because if they did, they'd be no better than Riddle and his Death Eaters. Harry sighed. The old man was right. He did not stand a chance against Riddle, and the potion was the only way he figured would come close to bridging the literal gulf in difference of power. In the end, he'd have to. He still wanted to make his point to Gryffindor._

_“Where do we draw the line we must not cross, Gryffindor? When do we become no better than the ones we're fighting? This is precisely the time where we must hold to our morals and principles. If we forego them, we lose our humanity and if that happens, we might as well join Riddle and stop the war that way.”_

_The old man acknowledged Harry's words with a nod, smiling. “A good question, an honest question. These are queries you must make of yourself, I agree. And we must forever seek the answer within ourselves. I fought in wars and I understand all too well how easy it is to fall. You must decide for yourself how far you will go for to obtain victory. I ask you this, however; is there any price too high, in order to vanquish evil such as Voldemort?”_

_Gryffindor let the question hang in the air, allowing Harry to ponder it. These musings were almost the same as the boy had voiced. Sometimes it helped to hear someone else voice your own thoughts. It could provide clarity. It took a strong man to ask himself such questions, and it took an even stronger man to actively seek an answer. Harry looked up at the older man resolutely, and nodded._

_“I'm relieved you have decided to trust me and take the potion. I must warn you, however, that once you've taken it, the changes to your body and mind are permanent. There will be no going back to how you were before.”_

_“I understand,” Harry said. “Good. Now, there are two vials left, they sit in the third shelf from the left. That's right, these ones there. Take one. I'm certain it is still in perfect condition, or at least it should be, if the wax on the stopper has not been broken. There's a rune etched on the wax, imbued with Helga's stasis charm, which should have fed of the magical energies in this place. Shake it firmly, please.”_

_Harry rolled the vial in his hands and to his surprise, colours came to life in the small, cylindrical bottle. They swirled around as if they had a mind of their own. Harry assumed he was looking at the spirits of the beings Merlin and Gryffindor mixed in there. He fiddled with the vial in his hands for a while, looking at the glass tube with intense doubt. This was it, the point of no return. What would he be like, once he'd swallowed the drink? Was there really no other way? Ignoring his doubts, he broke the seal on the vial carefully. Gripping the tip with his fingers, he opened it with an audible pop. A foul smell rose into the air, almost choking him. Harry looked at Gryffindor, an unspoken question in his eyes._

_“It always smelled most foul, almost like curdled milk. No way to fix that, though. As with most potions and elixirs, any attempt to sweeten it will render the potion fruitless. Best to simply upend the bottle in one gulp, death waits for no man, as they say. I would advise you to remove your clothes beforehand, as they may be too small afterwards.”_

_Harry eyed Gryffindor, his expression a bit stony. That brought a wry smile from the old wizard. Was now really the time for such jokes? The old man wasn't wrong, though. There was no time to lose and Harry removed his clothes, except his socks and underpants. Harry swallowed the liquid in a pair of gulps and found the taste did not match the smell. It was much, much worse. Harry grimaced and nearly heaved as he placed the vial on a table next to him and shook his head in an effort to somehow lessen the taste._

_It was less than effective and Harry tasted his tongue even more than before. It was strange, he'd taken the bloody potion, but other than strong nausea, followed by a short bout of light-headedness, he felt much the same as before. Soon, though, his heartbeat rose quite a bit, followed by a terrible headache. A very sudden and terribly sharp pain in his chest and abdomen brought Harry to his knees, clutching his torso the best he could. A scream escaped from his lips, as he felt like his head was being split open. Harry's hands went to his head as he fell to his side, writhing on the floor, the pain overwhelming; the Cruciatus seemed like a tickling charm compared to this. The pain spread to his ears, eyes and limbs, even his lungs seemed as if they were on fire._

_Through the white hot pain, Harry felt as his face changed shape, his cheekbones, jaw and brow reshaping themselves. Even his ears and eyes seemed to change shape. He felt his hands grow bigger and his limbs and torso grow longer, and still the pain increased. Then images and emotions began assaulting him. Memories not his own, of running around, chasing prey, flying through the air, hanging upside down in the darkness. There were images of wolfs, bats, cats, and humans and fish. It was all very distorted, and Harry felt as if he was losing himself, drowning in a pool of emotions and desires he could not comprehend. Bloodlust, anger, joy. A craving for blood and raw meat. The sheer joy of running free, and swimming in the vast, blue oblivion that was the sea._

_A myriad of other emotions he clearly found were not his own kept assaulting him. Fighting this bombardment, as well as the pain seemed like an impossible task, and Harry could feel his breathing becoming shallower by the second. He was dying from the shock, he dimly realized. He had to regain control over his mind if he was to make it through this ordeal, not only alive, but in control of himself. He focused on his mind and tried to block out the pain. He sought out and desperately grasped his own memories, memories that he held dear, and kept close to his heart. Harry had always been master of his own mind and eventually the raw uncontrolled rush of emotions died down and Harry shut them down entirely, his mind his own once more._ _Then suddenly the pain stopped and he went completely limp._

_Gryffindor watched it all unfold with great apprehension. This was so much more violent than he remembered. The other subjects had not thrashed about as furiously and almost certainly not for such a long time. Had the potion turned bad, despite the spell placed upon the bottle? Then Gryffindor saw as Harry's body started to rearrange itself. At one point, Harry's face looked like that of a werewolf, and at another, a semblance of a bat and an owl. Alarmingly, Gryffindor noticed Harry's breathing had become dangerously shallow, and laboured. Then suddenly the boy went completely limp, his body completely still. Gryffindor looked at the boy, desperately looking for signs of life, cursing his inability to help the young man._

_Then Harry twitched slightly and opened his eyes, to Gryffindor's great relief. Harry opened his eyes slowly and blinked several times before he turned his head to either side, noting his surroundings. Every joint in his body ached terribly as he got to his feet, but with gritted teeth and determination, he rose to his full height. He brought his hands up and examined them and found them to be much the same, albeit bigger. He saw his glasses on the floor and by reflex, bent down to retrieve them and put them on. Everything went quite hazy the moment he put the glasses on and he removed them quickly. It was then he noticed how good his eyesight had become, and at that time, he also discovered his extremely sharp hearing. He could smell all kinds of different scents, smells he could not have discovered before all this. A buzz in the far upper corner of the room, a full eighty feet away turned Harry on his heel, and he peered into the shadowy part of the room. Harry stared for a full minute before shaking his head in disbelief and turn to Gryffindor._

_“I can count the legs on the fly caught in a spiderweb in that corner there, Gryffindor. If I really focus, I can find and isolate its smell, and pick up several different frequencies of sounds the wings make as they flutter about. I can hear the spiderweb stretch as the fly struggles to break free, the ferocity of its efforts doubled from before, because the spider is returning to it's lair. It's really weird and uncomfortable.”_

_Gryffindor simply stared at the boy in a mixed state of awe and apprehension. The cold fact, was that he and Merlin had never reached this far in their experiments. The young man surely had a will the strength of steel, to be able to come through this ordeal, seemingly as sane as before. With this kind of mental fortitude, one moved mountains, built empires, led rebellions. But more than that, the transformation was utterly astounding. Gone was the skinny little boy, replaced by a tall, strong and robust young man. Gryffondor cleared his throat to grab Harry's attention._

_“There is a mirror on the far wall. I believe you ought to go and see the changes for yourself. Fair warning, the change was much more drastic than anything I could have anticipated.”_

_Harry nodded numbly and made his way to the wall to peer into the mirror and let out an audible gasp. Surely this was some trick, his mind must not have recovered as much as he originally thought. The man looking back at him in the mirror was tall, had a healthy tan and broad shoulders, with strong, well defined muscles. His eyes, although still emerald green were a little bigger, had a slight slant to them, and they seemed to shine, as the the fire in the small fireplace led the shadows in a dance upon his features. And the pupils had narrowed into slits. His nose was mostly the same. His dark hair had grown longer, and framed a chiselled jaw, which angled down to a strong chin and a thick neck. Harry shook his head, and ran his hand through his hair slowly, and froze._

_His hand caressed his right ear. Wide eyed, he angled his head to the left, and stared at his ear. It was pointy. Harry turned his head to the other side, and found the other ear to be the same, naturally. Fortunately, they did not angle out from the head too much, but definitely more so than before, and they were very noticeable and larger. Harry let his hair fall, and ran his hand down the side of his neck and felt several bumps on one side, then the other. He asked Gryffindor about them and the old man told him they were gills. Gills! Harry stared at himself in the mirror some more. The last part of his body to examine was his mouth, which Harry knew was not the same, as he had run his tongue around his teeth a moment ago. He opened his mouth, only to confirm what he had felt before. His canines had become slightly longer and more pronounced. It was not terribly noticeable, unless he smiled, so a lopsided grin was the way to go from now on. The only thing that hadn't changed was the famous scar on his forehead and the colour of his eyes and hair. Well on the bright side, he was almost unrecognizable, which was a massive plus._

_Still... Rubbing his face, Harry sat down in a nearby chair and let out a deep sigh. So this was it. This was the new Harry Potter. He had expected some changes, but nothing like this. Was he even human any more? Was he some kind of a hybrid, part man, part beast? Sure, he had bested the spirits in the elixir, but could he be certain they would never return? He could not answer any of these questions, and neither could Gryffindor, Harry knew. The old man was treading the same uncharted waters as he himself was. One thing was certain, he was stronger than before, both mentally and physically, which would certainly come in handy in the coming months._

_“So, Gryffindor, where do we begin?” The old man was a bit taken back by Harry's demeanour. He was had seen Harry's reactions in the mirror, and had assumed the boy wanted to discuss what had happened to his body, but, apparently, that was not the case. Gryffindor assumed the boy had realized he knew no more than the boy himself. Practical and efficient. A good mix, and a solid foundation upon which to build._

_“Sleep is what you will do, young man. Sleep. There's no use training or learning when you're like this, my boy. Go, rest. We shall continue in the afternoon. Or whenever you wake.”_

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So, there you have it. Chapter three. As you can see, I have changed Harry's body quite a bit, but there are two things I didn't touch. The colour of his eyes, and his hair. To me, those are two things that should never be changed, as they are too big a part of who Harry is. If people change that, it completely ruins the immersion for me. Some people change Harry's gender, and that's something I'm fine with, and in some cases, the heroine has red hair, and brown eyes, and I quite like that idea. She then has the hair of her mother, and her father's eyes, so that's cool. Another thing I've always disliked is when Harry Potter, be they male or female is not the child-that-lived, unless, of course they've been transported to a different reality, but that's a completely different scenario. Potter being the child-that-lived, is completely central to everything the series is about, so it makes no sense to me, to mess with that. Oh, and one more thing, being a Metamorph is Tonks' thing, so... Anyway, these thoughts are mine, so feel free to ignore this and go about your lives :-) Thank you for reading!


	3. IV

IV

Petunia Dursley walked slowly down the isle of the supermarket, the trolley rolling ahead of her. Her hands reached for items, left and right, seemingly as if she was an android. However, if you looked close enough, you'd notice she moved with the grace and efficiency of a person who had done this very thing an untold number of times. Ham, bacon, eggs... There would be roasted ham this evening. Vernon Dursley was not a man who liked to change things, and he liked his routines, his food at the table at the same time each evening, like clockwork. Each night had a menu, that had not changed much for at least twenty years, not even after the doctor had recommended he started eating right.

Petunia sighed. If her fool of a husband kept eating like this, she'd become a widow before long, and Dudley without a father. Not that Vernon had been such a good influence on their child. In fact, she felt there were only two things her boy had learned from his father. Eating too much, and if you did not care who you stepped on, it was perfectly possible and acceptable to bully your way through life. You had to know who to bend your knee to, of course, but the rest of humanity was inconsequential. She was loathed to admit it, but her nephew was the only one, who seemed to have had any positive influence on Dudley. That summer night, when Harry had saved her son from those...those... _Dementors_ , she had been so angry, so afraid.

Not only for Dudley, but for Harry as well. He was after all, her only living relative. She knew in her heart of hearts that Harry had saved her boy, despite the way she, Vernon and Dudley had treated him all those years. And Marge, of course. (Oh, how she detested that woman...) And he would, she knew, save Dudley again if called upon. He was Lily's son, after all, and she had always seen a lot of her sister in Harry. Even so, she had done nothing to help him in the aftermath of the Dementor attack, aside from revealing her knowledge of those monsters, which had calmed Vernon a bit, since he no longer believed Harry was responsible for the state Dudley was in.

She had not even protested, when Vernon demanded Harry left their home, not until Dumbledore sent that letter of his. Harry was not to leave home before his seventeenth birthday, no matter the cost. As to Harry's influence on Dudley, there could be no doubt her boy had changed after that encounter. Despite never seeing the things for himself, Dudley instinctively knew Harry had shown extraordinary bravery, when facing those horrors, while he had been unable to do anything.

He stopped mistreating his cousin after that. Once school started, she received no more letters from teachers complaining over Dudley's behaviour, or his bullying of other, weaker boys. He also got rid of those friends of his. She was glad of it, but to her everlasting shame, she never even thanked Harry for his effort. Petunia put the groceries into the bag without much thought, and drove home. She carried the bags into the kitchen and put them away. She called out, but received no answer. Dudley was out, apparently and her husband would not be home for several hours, just before supper, as usual.

For some reason, her mind was very uneasy and she paced the living room for a while, before she decided to clean the house. Doing so always soothed her, no matter what was going on in her life. Ruefully, she wondered when she would wear the carpet down so much, that they would need to replace it. An hour later, she found herself outside Harry's room but could not, and not for the first time, bring herself to enter. Nor could she turn away. Steeling herself, she turned the knob and the door slowly edged open. The utter silence that filled the empty room seemed to scream at her, and she almost recoiled away from it. She stepped over the threshold and slowly made her way over to the window. As she cleaned the glass, she eyed the repairs done after that flying Ford Anglia had pulled the bars from Harry's window.

Vernon had insisted on the bars quite strongly, and she had gone along with it, somehow hoping they would keep those damn wizards away. Before Harry had even joined Hogwarts, she'd tried her best to hide the admission letters, trying in desperation to keep her nephew from ever learning of this hidden world. Vernon had assumed she was just as desperate to appear as normal as he was, and she more than played her part to make it seem that way. One day, if she got the chance, she would have to beg his forgiveness, for how far she went.

Perhaps Harry would have been safe, if he'd never known. It was wishful thinking of course, but she had been so determined to keep him safe. After all, that blasted world had stolen her sister away, in more ways than one. And it seemed that cursed place had finally claimed Harry as well. Almost two years had gone by since he had disappeared without a trace. She had screamed at his bodyguards, who arrived a little later. They had supposed to have been there for his protection! They'd taken her outburst in stride, but seemed a little surprised at her anger. Petunia could not fault them, really. The wizards knew how Harry was treated at her home, and she vividly remembered their words on King's Cross, when Harry had arrived for the summer holidays, after his fifth year.

The night Harry had disappeared, it had been her husband who'd been the recipient of the worst of her ire, though. After Mr. Lupin and Miss. Tonks left, Vernon had approached her. Not understanding her outburst, he'd thought she was as happy as he was, to be rid of that boy and all the trouble he brought. A few minutes later, Mr. Vernon Dursley found himself on the front lawn, holding a duffel bag in one hand and a tooth in the other. Her full armed slap had knocked it out. He was not to come back, until he was ready to apologize for his words. Vernon had taken care never to mention Harry again, in her presence.

Petunia sat down on the old bed, distraught. On the desk, she spied a picture frame lying face down. In stark contrast to an otherwise impeccable room, a layer of dust covered the frame. She had not been able to touch it since Harry's disappearance, for she knew whose picture it was. This time however, she reached across, grabbed the wooden frame tightly and turned it around. Looking back at her, were the smiling faces of her sister, her husband and Harry, who was a few weeks shy of a year old. A tear fell onto the glass and Petunia quickly wiped it off with the cloth, but the floodgates had opened and she could not stem the tide. She brought the picture to her chest and rocked herself back and forth, weeping silently.

Oh, Lily. How she missed her sister. They'd been the best of friends, almost inseparable when they were young. Then came that fateful day, when the letter arrived. Her sister was a witch, and would be able to do amazing things, with the flick of a piece of wood, once she had been given her lessons. Her parents had been overjoyed, of course. Their beautiful Lily was even more special, than before. Petunia remembered the intense jealousy when she found out, the anger and resentment that followed, made only worse when she somehow managed to send a letter to Hogwarts, asking to be admitted.

She was refused, of course, in a letter containing meaningless platitudes and well wishes. Soon after, she distanced herself from her sister and almost stopped talking to her altogether. Lily had not understood, but this was the way it had always been. Lily had always been their parent's favourite. They had always tried to hide it, tried to treat them the same as most parents do, but it was painfully obvious. Lily was prettier, more intelligent, more popular...

This went on for years. She started seeing Vernon, mostly because her parents and sister disliked him and eventually, she married him. She'd even refused to have her sister as a bridesmaid, something she had always regretted. What she regretted the most, however, was the way she had let her feelings bleed into her treatment of her nephew. How awful she felt whenever she let herself stray towards those thoughts. If only she'd had the strength to overcome herself, and give that boy the home he had deserved. Petunia sighed as she felt herself slip even deeper into her regrets.

While Lily had always been very happy with James, Petunia had sometimes wondered over the years, whether she would ever have married Vernon, had she not been so angry and resentful. Those thoughts had assaulted her more and more often, lately. As her crying faded, she collected herself and left the room, carrying the frame in her hand. Her gait purposeful, she went into her husband's toolbox and brought out a hammer and a nail, which she brought to a living room wall. She struck the nail in, with a couple of hits of the hammer, and then she grabbed Harry's picture and hung it on the wall, next to the picture of her parents. She was done being ashamed of her sister and nephew, and if Vernon had a problem with that, she was certain he knew the address of a suitable hotel in the city.

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The village was distinctly average, nothing special about it. It was more of a hamlet, really. One street, houses lining each side. Harry watched the settlement from his vantage point on a nearby hill. Most of the houses had cars by them, so this was a Muggle village. For the most part, at least. It was nearly noon and Harry made his way down the hill, his eyes constantly scanning the environment for any dangers.

His stomach was rumbling, so a stop at the local restaurant would not go amiss. He mostly avoided places like restaurants, cafés and other places, where you would be in close proximity with others. It lessened the danger of him being recognized. As he neared the town, he spied a signpost which read; _Bullswick_. A fitting name, Harry supposed, as he imagined there had to be a fair number of farms around, with all those fields and meadows.

As Harry walked along the singular street, he would eye the houses as he passed by. They were all very well kept, the fences painted and the lawns clearly well maintained. Their owners obviously took pride in their homes, but unlike the sterile feeling that surrounded Privet Drive, these houses had... souls. All in all, it was a lovely place and Harry decided he liked it, more than a little.

There were several people about, and Harry nodded to them as he walked on. He would hear a few of them remarking on him being there, that surely it was a bit early in the year for backpacking? The cobbled street angled a little to the west, as it stretched its way through the village, and beyond. Suddenly, Harry was assaulted by the smell of roasting flesh, his mouth almost salivating at the sensation. He chased down the smell to a small restaurant in a nice little house, at the other edge of town.

The place was empty. Good. Harry entered “ _Katie's_ ” and was greeted by a beautiful woman, who he decided was in her late forties or early fifties; she had a pleasant, matronly air about her that reminded him a bit of Mrs. Weasley, even if she was less stately than his surrogate mother. She looked up at him and smiled.

“Good day, love. I'm Katie. Fancy a bite?”

“Yes, I would like that very much. Some venison. A little red, if you please.”

Nodding, the woman took Harry's money and went to the kitchen to prepare his meal. Harry found a table in the corner, and placed his back pack on the floor, by his seat. He removed his long coat and hoodie, but kept his wool cap on, as he would have a hard time explaining the shape of his ears, before sitting down. Removing the hoodie revealed the leather arm braces he wore over his shirtsleeves, but he did not much care. There was little chance of anyone knowing what they really were, anyway. Hand under his chin, he gazed vacantly out the window and soon found his mind wandering into his memories once again.

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_Harry sat on the floor in Gryffindor's laboratory, his eyes closed. He was breathing in a steady rhythm. Deep, slow breaths. Gryffindor had told him 'in through the nose, out through the mouth, focus the mind to the inside, visualize the magic within you.' Harry did well to hide his boiling impatience._ _Over a week of this and nothing else, and nothing had been gained. Well, that was not entirely true. While every day was mostly spent breathing, while sitting in whatever position Harry was most comfortable, Gryffindor had lectured Harry on various topics, such as magical beasts, spells and techniques._

_Harry found his respect for Gryffindor increasing, day by day. The man was a bottomless well of information, knowledge and wisdom. Some of the beasts and beings Gryffndor spoke of, Harry had never heard of. Some were extinct by now, while others were so reclusive, there were still to this day, arguments to be had, whether they even existed at all. Harry had heard of some of them, of course._

_The Fay, he had only ever thought existed in the tales of the mythical land of Tír na nÓg, a land of eternal youth, gods, fairy tales and adventure. Gryffindor had chuckled at that, and agreed with his protegée. There was no proof the Fay were anything more than a bed time story, despite the existence of house elves and goblins and other such beings. Harry found it fascinating to listen to anyway. Especially the tragic story of Oisín and Niamh._

_An Irishman, Oisín was a Fiannan warrior and a poet, who was loved by a faery woman named Niamh. She came to him one night and professed her love for him, and took him to the land of the gods. After a while, three years in fact, Oisín succumbed to his desire to visit the Emerald Isle once more and Niamh lent him her magical horse, Embarr for the journey._

_She warned him that time flowed differently in Tír na nÓg, and he should expect some three hundred years, to have gone by in the time he had spent by her side. He was not to dismount the horse for any reason, for if his feet would touch the ground of his birth, the years would catch up to him and he would turn into a feeble old man. And as all such stories went, Oisín could not resist dismounting once he was back home and died of old age soon after._

_Gryffindor watched, as Harry stood up and stretched his limbs. He would get nowhere with the meditation today, either. Harry had too much trouble relaxing his mind, to focus. It was partly due to his altered physical and mental state; he had not gotten used to it yet. His mind would wander too easily, every sound or smell would break his concentration. The boy had to learn to control his senses, and quickly._

_Perhaps physical training, was the way to go. Some Occlumency would go a long way, as well. Usually Gryffindor would recommend mastering the mind, before attempting to master the body, but perhaps that was not the way forward, in this instance. If the boy was tired enough, perhaps he could relax for long enough to enter the trance required to find your magical centre. He would also have to focus on his body, to learn the various fighting techniques Gryffindor planned on teaching him. The boy leaned against the table, and looked at Gryffindor expectantly._

“ _Harry, I think we should give the meditation a rest for a while, and focus on some physical training. I'm fairly certain you know nothing about fighting. Although, I do believe you have inherited some abilities from the spirits you have inside of you, as every animal has an instinctive ability to defend themselves, and fight if necessary. Those instincts should conform to the human psyche, as you mastered them and as such, I think you will be a fighter to be reckoned with._

_Even so, I must recommend you train in the right forms and techniques. Instinct, reflexes and speed will only get you so far. They will work very well against beasts and animals, but eventually you will find yourself up against an opponent, who not only possesses some of the same qualities you do, but has more experience and knows the proper forms as well. Such a fight will only have one outcome. Now, I'd like you to pick a weapon, please.”_

_Harry went over to the weapon racks and looked over the weapons. As he wondered which one to select, he walked slowly along the racks, his fingertips brushing each weapon as he passed them, trying to get a feel for them._

“ _Might I suggest the longsword, Harry? Or the bastard sword, perhaps? They are very basic weapons, and most people start there. They're also highly versatile.”_

_Harry removed a bastard sword from one of the racks, and gripped it tightly in his hand. It was rather large for a bastard sword. Almost a greatsword, in fact. The overall length of the sword was about fifty inches, the blade itself an exact forty. The blade was surprisingly narrow, given it's length, about the same as the longsword. Harry estimated it weighed around three pounds, light as a feather for one as strong as him._

_The pommel was shaped as a lion, the grip was wrapped in cold iron wire. The guard curved slightly forward, and the surprisingly long, pointy ricasso angled into a fuller, which ran almost three quarters of the blade's length. The blade was razor sharp and surprisingly rigid, given the length and how narrow it was. On either side of the blade, a long series of runes Harry had never seen before, had been etched into the Silverite._

_Harry swung the sword about a little, and twisted it in his hand, before gripping it with his left hand, also. He brought the weapon up over his head and swung it down, hard and fast, the blade whistling through the air. It felt right in his hands, the weight and length perfect. Harry looked over to Gryffindor and nodded._

“ _I like this one, Mr. Gryffindor. It fits perfectly.”_

“ _Are you sure, my boy? Very well. We shall turn you into a master of the bastard sword before long. Now, here's what I want you to do...”_

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The smell of cooked meat, brought Harry out of his reverie and he looked up at Katie, who stood behind the counter, waving and calling to him. She looked as if she'd been trying to get his attention for a while. Harry stood up and approached the counter, a sheepish look on his face.

Katie waved and called to the young man, and he finally seemed to hear her. He stood up,a sheepish look on his face as he made his way over to her. She eyed him curiously and found him somewhat fascinating to explore. When he had come in, he'd been wearing a long, form fitting, charcoal grey coat, a pair of dark cargo pants and a black hoodie, along with a wool cap. By now though, he'd stripped to his shirtsleeves, but kept the cap on.

What caught her eye, however, were a pair of leather armbraces he wore over the sleeves of his shirt. They had strange markings, intricately worked into the dark brown leather. He looked like a character from a fantasy novel, or film. Well, no matter. To each their own.

“I'm sorry, Katie, I was completely lost in thought.”

“Oh, it's quite all right, think nothing of it, love. I would have brought it to you, but I seem to have unusually many visitors today.”

Harry's eyes calmly followed her gaze and landed on a group of seven, coming through the door. While outwardly calm, he berated himself severely in his mind. He should have heard them long before they had even entered the small restaurant. They were a shady looking bunch, Harry thought and smiled darkly as he did. He was pretty damn shady himself, if he was honest.

Harry grabbed his plate, and made his way to his table and subtly changed his seat, so that he could watch the newcomers. They all ordered food and took their seats here and there in the room, but they seemed to avoid looking at Harry overly much, who simply sat at his table eating his food, making it look like he was in no way interested in them.

Nothing could be further from the truth. As soon as Harry had sat down, he had been listening closely to the newcomers, but they did not speak of anything worth noting. But that was not what made Harry curious. It was their elevated heartbeats and sweating, which really peaked his interest. They were afraid. They reeked of fear.

They were dressed in a manner that was obviously meant to make them look inconspicuous; a group of friends having a day out in the countryside. But the way they were behaving, refusing to look at him, even though he looked the way he did, made him instantly wary of them. He picked up a pen and a napkin and wrote a few words on it, before folding it together.

Some time later, Katie brought out their food and they began to eat in timid silence. One of the men reached for a salt stick and Harry spied a wand in the pocket on the inside of the man's coat. Not only that, but also a familiar, dreaded mark sneaking it's way past the man's cuff, as he reached across the table.

Harry's mood darkened and his brow furrowed, as he looked at the man out of the corner of his eye. He also found it surprisingly careless of the man. Rookies. Seasoned Death Eaters did not make such mistakes. After a while, Katie came over to him to collect his plate. She flashed that lovely smile at him, and lifted the plate of the table.

“All good, love?”

She noticed Harry's look and attempted to follow his gaze, but felt a slight touch on her arm, demanding her attention. She turned her head again, and saw Harry shaking his head slightly, a serious look on his face. He passed her a folded napkin, which she took. This all happened very quietly and went unnoticed by the Death Eaters.

Katie made her way to the kitchen, clutching the lad's note tightly in one hand, his plate in the other. She unfolded the note and stared at it alarmingly. It stated that the people who arrived after he had were very dangerous, and that she should leave through the back door and go home that instant. She put the plate down, grabbed her coat and all but fled through the back door.

Harry's sensitive ears heard as Katie left her own establishment in an frantic hurry, fumbling a little with the door as she did. Then he heard a loud crack outside, followed by a few screams and crying children. Harry closed his eyes and sighed deeply. Yet another battle, more senseless violence and death. A deafening roar tore through the walls this time.

A Giant. They brought in a bloody giant. So this was the reason Fawkes had sent him there, in the middle of nowhere. Things had been rather hectic for a while, but this place was a bit out of the way, compared to the other places that had been hit over the last month or so. Clenching his fists, he stood up, and took a deep breath as he turned to face the Death Eaters...

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The Burrow was a crowded place this day, as many of the people who came in for Fred and Georges' birthday had decided to stay for the night. Lunch was just about over, when a man in deep blue robes burst through the front door, his breath heavy and laboured.

“There's a Death Eater attack on in a village called Bullswick! They brought a giant, by the report!”

At first everyone simply stared at Kingsley Shacklebolt, who bent forward and placed his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. A second later, the Burrow exploded with activity. A couple of people, nurses, ran outside at full speed, to the edge of the property, where they Apparated away.

Most likely to Nr. Twelve Grimmauld Place, where the wounded Order members would be taken, should there be any. The rest, however cleared the table and someone produced a map of England out of thin air. After several seconds, Ron exclaimed loudly.

“Found it! It's deep in the Midlands. Is it onthe Portkey network?”

“Just outside the next town over, but it's over twenty miles away,” someone said.

Ron swore. The art of Apparating was a wonderful invention, but it had its shortcomings, one of which was; you could not Apparate to places you had not been to, before. If you needed to travel far by Apparition, you had to know the place you wanted to get to fairly well. Apparating could also be very dangerous; if you lost your concentration even for a moment, you risked Splinching yourself, leaving a part of your body behind.

Ron had experienced it before, but he'd been lucky, he'd only left behind half an eyebrow. Susan Bones had left behind her leg! In most cases it could be fixed, but it was always messy. There was also the Anti-Apparition charm, which prevented people from Apparating into certain places.

The Burrow was under such charms as they were a part of the wards, and you had to get to the edge of the Weasley's property if you wanted to Apparate. Portkeys were the solution they had settled on. The Order had set a number of people to the task of travelling to as many places in the UK and Ireland as possible, as well as a few in France, and place Portkeys at those locations, so they'd have as wide a network as possible. The Order had grown considerably in the time since Riddle's return, but their numbers were still rather limited. As a result, there were annoyingly large gaps in their Portkey network.

Sod it all, they'd have to disillusion themselves and fly the rest of the way. Hermione apparently shared the notion, because she came into the kitchen, holding a pair of brooms, one of which was Harry's Firebolt.

Ron took his friend's broom, then followed Hermione and a number of other people into Mr. Weasley's shed, where the Portkeys were stored. Arthur, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, Bill, Charlie and Kingsley placed their hands on an old ball Kingsley had placed on a pedestal in the centre of the shed. A second later, the shed was empty.

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Molly looked on sadly as these brave souls ran into the small building and a moment later, a small light indicated the Portkey had been activated. She turned around and found herself looking into Ginny's eyes. Her daughter looked angrily at her mother, who knew quite well what was causing her daughter's temper to flare.

“I should be going with them. I can't stand it any longer, Mum! It's not right that they run headlong into danger, and all I do is stay here. It's not right!”

Molly sighed wearily. How many times were they going to have this argument? She had made herself clear on so many occasions, but Molly was not a fool and realized, that she was fighting a losing battle. There was no denying her daughter when she became like this. She would have to relent eventually, but not yet. _Not yet_.

She advanced on her daughter, and stopped a few inches from her face. Her eyes were dark and angry and she knew the effect she had on her older children when she became like that. It was the first time she showed her daughter she was capable of something like this, however and it was readily apparent in the way her daughter recoiled slightly from her mother.

“When you turn eighteen, you can join the Order, not a day earlier. All my other children are fighting in this awful war, and I am not keen on sending my youngest child and only daughter, off to war. But don't worry. You will have your chance soon enough, mark my words. Soon, you will see things that will make you wish you'd never joined the Order, that you'd never even been born.

You'll have nightmares and the memories, you will carry with you until the day you die. If you wish to join the war effort, make sure you're ready for that. There's no room for passengers on this train. We will _not_ speak of this again until the day you do join, Ginevra Weasley. Now, help me tidy up the kitchen and go get your things ready. You're returning to Hogwarts, in the afternoon.”

With that, Molly stalked into the house to clean up after lunch and left her daughter alone outside, speechless and slightly afraid. She'd heard the first part of that rant before, but the latter half was new. She'd never seen her mother quite like that. She was like a different person; dark and angry. Her mother had been a part of the Order the first time around, but she never talked about it much. Ginny knew her uncles had died in the first war, so her mother's fears were understandable, but everyone had to help if there was to be any hope of victory. Sighing, Ginny went inside to help her mother, the work done in bitter silence.

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Harry looked at the Death Eaters, who had surprisingly been smart enough to stay spread around the room, wands at the ready. Harry looked at each one, his mind working, measuring, planning. Seven of them. It should not be too much of a bother, but he had to end it quickly, he was needed to battle the giant. What troubled him, was the fact that they were not surprised by him being there.

They recognised him, Harry realised. Had this all been about catching him? A trap? No, Harry decided. He'd just been at the location of their attacks too often for them to be surprised and so, him being here was merely a coincidence as far as they were concerned. Besides, these dunderheads were too useless, to be a part of some kind intricate plot.

The Death Eaters raised their wands and spells flew towards Harry, who dove forwards and swept the legs from under the closest two enemies, striking their temples as they landed. Rolling to his feet, he willed power into the armguards, brought his palms together and slammed a spear of pure air into three of the Death Eaters, who foolishly had grouped together in the middle of the room.

They crumbled to the floor in a big heap. That left two, who managed to send a pair of curses Harry's way. Harry weaved out of the way and advanced quickly. He punched the first one in the gut, and brought his knee to the man's face as he doubled over in pain. The other backed away and found himself up against the wall. Harry strode slowly over to the last attacker and put him to sleep with a well placed hit to the temple.

Harry collected the wands of the enemy wizards and placed them behind the counter, after snapping them. Some time ago, he had started destroying the wands of defeated enemies, as they were usually released quickly by the corrupt Ministry. This way at least, these people were kept out of the fight a bit longer, seeing how Ollivander was dead and the other two proper wand makers in the UK, had gone to ground.

Harry proceeded with tying up his attackers and remove their emergency Portkeys. It would not do, to have them escape, once this was over. Harry ran towards his Bag and opened it. He reached into it and brought out his sword, which he strapped onto his back. A few throwing knives were next, which he slid into their respective slits on the front of the baldric. After that, he quit the house and found himself on the street.

What greeted Harry was a nightmarish scene. A few feet from the door lay the body of a woman, who'd tried to run away from the giant, her neck bent at an awkward angle. Her glazed eyes stared empty at the clear sky. Harry walked past the body and started running along the street, discovering more bodies along the way, the surprise in their eyes a telltale sign of the Avada Kedavra curse. Destroyed houses and cars littered the area and the smell of gasoline, leaking from damaged tanks assaulted Harry and served to fuel his fury, which was already close to boiling over.

He rounded a bend and came upon a few Death Eaters, who were toying with what looked like a family of Muggles, dangling them in the air, upside down. The poor muggles cried and tried to somehow free themselves. One of the attackers, seemed to be having a right old time.

“Such filthy apes, these Muggles. Can't even defend themselves against a simple levitating spell. A child could do better!”

That comment brought laughter and sneers from the other dark wizards. None of them had noticed the lone figure creeping up behind them. Harry slipped a knife from the baldric, and placed it against the torturer's neck. He was seething with anger. It took real effort to keep his hand still, to not slice open the man's throat.

“Bring them down slowly, and perhaps you live. If you don't...”

The man's eyes nearly popped out of his head with shock. There was a man behind him. Not only that, he felt a blade press against his throat harder and harder, drawing blood. He slowly lowered his wand and brought the muggles down. The Muggles stared in disbelief at the wizards, frozen in place, too scared to move. Harry knocked the man he was holding on the head with the butt of the knife's handle, knowing the other three would attack as soon as he did.

Before they managed it, however, Harry again willed power to his armguards. Palms facing upward, he raised his arms quickly, and tore a few stones from the cobbled street. This caused his enemies to hesitate for a single breath, but that was enough. Harry spun on the spot, his hands moving in a dance like move. The stones flew outward and struck the Death Eaters in their heads with force, causing them to lose consciousness. Those idiots seemed to be the last of the Death Eaters. Harry retrieved their Portkeys and wands, then proceeded to place them on the bonnet of a nearby car, wands snapped as before. Leaving the Death Eaters tied up, similarly to the earlier group, he turned toward the Muggles. Harry returned the knife to it's sheath and walked to them, palms forward.

“You don't have to fear me, I will not hurt you. I'm here to help. I know you're frightened, but I need you to hide. This little skirmish is far from over and it will get worse, I'm afraid. You know of a place to hide? Good, go there and grab anyone you see, if it's safe.”

One of the Muggles nodded in acknowledgement. He grasped Harry's arm and mouthed his thanks, before taking his family behind a nearby house. Well, it was a bit too much to hope the man would think of someone else than his own family. He saw the giant making its way along the street, swinging it's club left and right, leaving death and destruction in its wake. Then, Harry spotted a crying girl, no older than seven years old on the ground, a ways ahead of the giant. With a cold, sinking feeling, Harry realized he would never be able to concentrate enough, to Apparate safely to the child.

He sprinted onwards, running faster than he had ever done before in his life. The giant would surely murder the girl if he was too late. As he ran, he started gathering and focusing his energies, planning his next move. He was almost upon the girl now. With dismay, he saw the giant notice the girl. The giant flexed its muscles and stepped forward, about to swing the club upwards, after destroying a nearby car.

Harry made it just in time. He lunged forward, his right hand leading the way. The earth shook and a cliff like wall of rock rose from the ground, blocking the giant's path to the girl, which caused the it to hesitate for a second. The wall was as brittle as a porcelain doll, Harry knew, but it would have to do. He landed by the girl and scooped her up in his arms, turning as he did.

He heard the giant roar, and felt as the beast brought its club to the wall. At the same moment the club came crashing through the wall, Harry wrapped himself and the girl in a ball of air. The club made contact and Harry, holding the girl in his arms, went flying through the air, eventually crashing through a second story window of a nearby house.

Harry slid across the floor of the room, coming to sharp stop against a wall, opposite the window and his head knocked into the wall. Harry could taste blood in his mouth, he had bit into the side of his cheek at some point. He also felt blood running down the side of his head, from when it hit the wall. He knew he had at least three broken ribs, most likely a concussion and a sprained ankle.

There were several bleeding cuts on his arms, none life threatening, by themselves, but were bleeding quite a bit. What was dangerous, however, was the large glass shard embedded in his thigh, and the wound was bleeding freely. Fortunately, it did not seem to have hit an artery, but the bleeding had to be stopped. Thankfully, the giant seemed to have lost any interest in them, since the art of destroying cars was, much more fun. Struggling to retain consciousness, Harry carefully unwrapped his hands from the girl, who seemed to be fine, all things considered.

Shaking like a leaf, she held onto Harry's shirt hard enough to turn her knuckles white. She looked up at him, her eyes pleading, as if asking him to never let her go. Harry set her on the floor next to him, smiling what he hoped was a reassuring smile. He needed to calm the girl down. The girl smiled weakly back.

“What's your name? He asked gently.

“Sarah. What's yours?”

“Hello, Sarah, my name is Jack. Are you OK? You're not hurt?” Harry asked and she shook her head. “Good. That's good. Could you look away for a moment, sweetie? This will be unpleasant and not something I want you to see.”

Sarah sat down by the wall and hugged her legs, her forehead resting on her knees. Wincing, Harry propped himself up against the wall for support. He tore open his trouser leg, and examined the shard embedded in his thigh. He felt his hand grow warm and glow, as he felt power gathering in the palm of his hand. In this situation, the only way to stop the bleeding was to cauterize the wound, after removing the penetrating object. Harry slipped a knife into his left hand, his glowing right hand gripping the blade. After a while, the blade was white hot, ready to be used. Harry yanked out the shard and stuck the knife in, barely stifling a scream as he did.

A moment later, he removed the blade, the smell of burning flesh making him feel sick. Sarah heaved next to him, her expression quite ghastly. Damn it, he had asked her not to look! Well, at least the bleeding had stopped. Breathing heavily, Harry replaced the knife and stood up slowly. Sarah had made his way over to him and looked up at him with concern. This little girl was something else. With all this going on, she was concerned for him?

“Are you all right, Jack?”

Harry made to answer, but instead brought his finger to his lips. There were footsteps outside the room. Harry stepped in front of the young girl and gathered power to the armguards, ready to face whatever came through the door. A familiar smell found it's way to his nostrils and he took several short whiffs, before calling out.

“Katie, it's all right. You can come in.”

Katie heard the man, and opened the door warily. Inside she saw the young man she'd serviced earlier and young Sarah Burton, who seemed fine, if a bit shaken. The man was in bad shape, however. The right side of his head was covered in blood, and he hunched slightly over to his left. A nasty wound could be seen through a large tear in one leg of the trousers, and she saw a blood covered piece of glass on the floor, which she surmised must have been removed from the leg.

She smelled a strange odour in the air and her eyes went straight back to the wound in the young man's thigh, which was not bleeding. Had he cauterized the wound? The girl ran to her, hugging her close, sobbing violently. Katie stroked Sarah's hair gently and spoke to her in soft tones, trying to calm her down. This was a nightmare and it had been less than quarter of an hour. She had seen more than one body on the street, after that thing had crushed them with its club. Houses, cars, even the street itself was in shambles. Her children had gone to London for a sporting event with their father and his wife, so perhaps they were safe, but she couldn't be certain. Looking at the young man, she decided now was not the time to worry about them; she had more pressing concerns.

Thing was, Katie had not always been a restauranteur. For ten years, she had been the head nurse of an ER room of a big hospital in London. It had taken a bad toll on her marriage, and eventually she and her husband separated. One night, she simply had seen enough, done enough and quit her job. She moved with her children away from the city and opened her little shop. And so, she knew a badly injured person when she saw one, and that young man looked like he'd been hit by a lorry. He looked at her pointedly and inclined his head towards Sarah. That was when she saw his eyes and realised he was badly concussed, or worse.

“Please take care of her, Katie. Her parents are gone, and I need to know she'll be alright. At least until help arrives.”

Katie looked on with apprehension as the boy took a single step and almost fell to the floor. Shaking himself, he turned towards a nearby window and tore a piece of a low hanging curtain, and with a pained grunt, wrapped it tightly around his thigh. Then he started limping out of the room. Thinking the boy was absolutely mental, she moved to block the doorway.

“And where do you suppose you're going?” She asked in a firm voice. “I best not hear you're going to fight that thing out there,” she hissed and pointed to the window. “You can barely stand, for heaven's sake! You'll be crushed! You need to lie down, so I can tend to your wounds.”

“There's no time, I must stop that giant before he kills anyone else. You've seen what he can do! He won't stop. Not for anything. Please, step aside.”

Katherine crossed her arms over her chest stubbornly. A giant? So that's what that thing was. But that was impossible, giants were not real, surely. Still, it was hard to deny it, when she could see it plain as day just outside her house, swinging its club around.

“If that is a giant, then what are you? Not only did you survive the blow from that monster, but also crashing through my window, which should have killed you. I want the truth.”

Harry eyed the woman carefully and decided to tell her the truth. “I'm a wizard. I can wield magic, which is the reason we survived the attack from the giant. I wove a ball of air around us to dampen the blow. Look, I know this is a lot to take in, but I need to get a move on, before the authorities get here, Muggle or otherwise. The wizards can subdue the giant eventually, but the Muggles will get squashed; their regular guns won't do them much good against that thing. What you need is a good, strong, enchanted blade. Which, incidentally, I dropped out there somewhere. I need to go find it.”

“Wait just a minute. Giants, wizards, and god knows what else are real? Why haven´t we heard of this before?”

“You want to go into this now? _NOW?”_ Harry exclaimed. “Get out of the way, Katie, or I will be forced to move you myself. I will be happy to answer any and all questions you may have later.”

Harry felt awful, lying to her like that, but he had to get moving. He limped towards the woman, who reluctantly stepped aside and let him out of the room. As he quit the room, however, he felt a hand grab his own. He turned around to find both Sarah and Katie looking at him with concern. Sarah grabbed his shirt, tears in her eyes. Harry felt a slight tremor in his temple at the sight of her, but a deep breath steadied him.

“I don't want you to go, Jack. You will die, just like my parents!”

Harry's heart broke a little, but he firmly held it back. “No, I won't. I will take care of that thing, then I will come back, all right, sweetie? Just stay here with Katie and be a good girl, yeah? It'll be fine, I promise.”

The little girl let go of him, and turned around to sit down by the wall, her arms hugging her knees, same as before. Harry looked at Katie and bowed his head slightly before leaving the pair. Heading down the stairs, he went over that whole thing in his head. What had he been thinking, when he promised her to answer all her questions?

The Statute of Secrecy was in place for a reason, damn it. Well, the Ministry would surely send some officials over here and take care of all this, including wiping their memories. How they would go about it he didn't know, with all those dead people, destroyed houses and cars? They could fix the village easily enough, but the rest...

Harry found himself outside, searching for his blade, watching the giant a little further up the street. The big brute was oblivious to his presence, thankfully, so Harry moved with haste to where he had erected the wall and found his blade lying on the ground. To his immense relief, he found the weapon undamaged. He squeezed the handle tightly and swung it around a few times, his ribs aching badly. He tested his ankle and found it was much better now, so he could walk without much trouble, albeit painfully. He just had to hope his thigh would not start bleeding too badly, again.

It was time to end this. That giant was not hurting anyone else. Harry drew in as much power as he could, into the armguards. He made a sweeping move with his left hand and a huge fireball erupted from his hand, flew down the street and hit the giant square in the back. While Harry knew it would not do much damage, as the giant's skin was very thick, it would be rather painful and certainly draw the giant's attention to him.

A decent sized rock would have been more effective had he been closer, but he was unable to generate any sort of power over that much distance, with something so heavy. Howling in pain, the beast turned around to look for the source of the attack. Harry grinned and walked slowly toward his enemy, his confidence growing with each step. He could do this, he knew. That thing was no match for him. It was a being of very little intellect, used to getting its way because it was so much bigger than anything else.

Well, Harry was about to show him that size was not everything. He was within striking distance of the club now, and the giant bellowed as he swung the club down. The sheer speed and force of it blew the wool cap of Harry's head. He dived out of the way, grunting in agony as he felt his ribs complain. Ignoring the pain, he sliced into the calf of the giant, resulting in the giant releasing a deafening scream. Harry just about managed to roll out of the way, as the club came at him again, tearing a fair sized hole into the street. As Harry got to his feet, he shot an involuntary glance at the hole and shivered. One clean blow, and that was it. Hell, a _glancing_ blow and no more Harry Potter.

Again, he felt his ribs hurt, more so than before. He needed to finish this quickly, or he would be in real trouble. A hand gesture tore up a large rock from the ground, which Harry smacked into the head of the giant. The giant was reeling, finding it difficult to find his balance, the club swinging about wildly. Recognizing the opportunity, Harry rushed in. With lightening speed, he cut through the Achilles tendons on both feet, and the anterior ligaments in both knees. The beast let out a wordless howl as it came crashing down.

The giant writhed pitifully on the ground, trying desperately to get on his feet once more, but the legs would not work as intended. Harry cautiously walked toward his fallen enemy, his sword clutched tightly in his hand. This was it, the fight was over. All that was left was to put the giant out of his misery. Restricting the giant's movements with ropes of air, Harry walked to its head and raised his blade above the neck of the beast, pointing it downward. He pierced the neck of the giant with a thrust powerful enough that the blade sank almost a foot into the ground.

Harry winced as the giant convulsed several times as he died, life leaving his body, one drop of blood at a time. This was not the first time Harry had taken a life. He had killed vampires and werewolves and even a number of Death Eaters, but it never got any easier. In fact, Harry found it more and more difficult. As time went by, the regret and anguish kept piling up and he feared that eventually, he would reach a point where he would hesitate at the wrong moment. Stay his hand and die...

Finally, the giant stopped thrashing about and Harry yanked the blade free and carefully wiped off the blood. He replaced the blade on his back and hunched over, as his ribs protested the movement. It was getting awfully painful now. Painful as it was, he wasn't in any immediate danger. He would just need some time to recover, that was all. He looked over at the house where he'd left Katie and Sarah and found they were standing by the broken window, staring. Sarah was pointing at him excitedly, tugging at Katie's arm. Harry looked back at them for a while, his hand running through his hair slowly. Ah, of course. Not only had they watched a man kill a twenty foot giant, he imagined they had also noticed his very prominent, pointy ears. Blasted things.

Harry turned around and retrieved his cap from the ground and stuck it on his head. Stealing one last glance at the duo by the window, he turned around, heading to Katie's restaurant to get his things. He heard the faint sound of people flying in on brooms and landing beyond a curve in the road. It was time to leave. An angry shout, had him faltering slightly, before he squared his shoulders and strode on deliberately. Some achingly familiar voices found their way to his ears. That's when he started running, desperately in the other direction. He had to get away from those voices, lest he be unable to leave.

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Katie stared at the twitching corpse of the beast, her breath caught in her throat. She exhaled slowly, and heard Sarah do the same. Katie berated herself for not making certain the girl had not seen what had transpired down on the street. The girl had seen enough death already, for heaven's sake. She felt Sarah pull at her arm, pointing at Jack excitedly. She followed the girl's gaze and could understand the younger one's excitement, the boy had, after all just defeated a monster of legend. Looking at Jack closely, she noticed he had dropped his cap, revealing a head of short black hair and very prominent, pointy ears.

Wait, pointy ears? What in the world was that man? The young man looked over at them and ran his hand through his hair, seemingly noticing for the first time his hat was missing. He bent over, grabbed the thing and crammed it on his head. Looking back at them, he seemed to make a decision as he turned around to walk in the other direction. He clearly wasn't coming back. Katie frowned angrily and ran downstairs and onto the street. Sarah followed closely behind. She would make him hold to his promise.

“Jack, stop! You promised me answers!”

The boy faltered slightly before striding on, determination in his every move. Katie moved to follow him, before she heard voices coming from down the street. She looked over to find the source of the noise, before shifting her eyes back to Jack, who was sprinting away, running faster than she thought humanly possible, his hand clutching his side.

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Ron flew faster than he had ever done in his life. Following behind, his companions barely kept up with him. It had been several minutes since they'd seen the smoke rising from the small village of Bullswick. Ron could feel the anger slowly work its way into his system. How long would this have to go on? He slowed down a little bit to allow Hermione to catch up with him, her hand reaching over to him, squeezing tightly. They had been to Death Eater attacks before, of course, but it was always hard.

They came upon the village, and could literally smell the death and destruction in the air. Ron gritted his teeth as he landed. Dismounting and drawing his wand, he motioned for the others to do so as well. Ron had somehow taken the lead from the outset, even with the more experienced Arthur and Kingsley with them. The group advanced slowly, cautiously taking in their surroundings. Even though there was no destruction in this part of the village, at least, there was not a soul in sight. There were quite a few empty driveways, so at least some of the muggles had escaped or not been home. On they went, and the smell of gasoline suddenly filled their nostrils as the rounded a bend in the road.

And found themselves in Hell.

Bodies lay on the ground here and there, a few of them crushed as if they'd been crushed by a huge forceful blow. Cars sat burning next to destroyed houses, a few more dead souls could be seen scattered around. Several yards further along the street, they saw a few people tied together, by a light post, struggling to break free. Ron's first instinct was to run up to them and let them loose, but a motion by Hermione made him stop. She was right, this could be a trap.

“Everyone, be on your guard, this could be a trap. Let's just keep moving at the pace we have been going. I'll call out to them,” he said cautiously.

Ron did call out, but he did not expect the reaction from the unfortunate sods tied up to the post. Their struggle to break free doubled, but to no avail. They were not getting free. Ron and the rest came upon them in short order. The frightened looks they received were somewhat alarming, but even more alarming were the three snapped wands and broken pendants lying on top of the bonnet of a nearby car.

Whoever had tied them up had known they were wizards. Moreover, they had known other wizards would come here and placed the wands for them to find. Ron cautiously moved to one of the men and pulled up his sleeve, revealing the dreaded Dark Mark. Disgusted, Ron let go of the man's arm, as if he had been burned. Those bloody, filthy cowards. Kingsley stepped forward, clasping Ron on the shoulder tightly. He was the best interrogator in the Order and he did not need to resort to violence. His skill in Legilimency was too good.

“Let me at them, Ron. I would ask that your father remain with me, while I interrogate them. The rest of you should press on. Who knows, perhaps there are people in need of assistance further ahead. Go, lad, we will be fine.”

Ron nodded his assent. Kingsley was right. He turned around sharply and motioned for the others to move on. After walking in silence for a few minutes, they saw a large, heavy shape on the street, a giant by the looks of things. They came upon the body, and it was rather ghastly. The thing was all bloody, his its eyes stared at the sky unseeing. There was a wound in its throat, which had obviously killed it, as the blood had barely stopped flowing yet. Hermione knelt beside the beast and examined it.

“There are several injuries here, but none of them fatal, except the stab wound in the throat. See the cuts on the knees and ankles? Brought it down, then stabbed it in the throat, killing it. Quick and clean, as painless as possible. No Muggle, nor a normal wizard did this. But there was some strange magic at work here. I checked earlier, but I could not see any traces of a wand. Judging by the looks of the giant's wounds, and the marks on the ground, these spells were much too powerful for a wizard to perform with wandless magic.”

“Excuse me, but who are you? By any chance, could you be wizards? Are you here to remove the giant? It's such a ghastly thing.”

All the assembled wizards turned as one, wands at the ready, shock evident on their faces. Before them stood a woman in her middle years and a young girl. The girl clutched the older woman's hand tightly and eyed Ron and the others warily. The woman, looked Hermione in the eye, and the Hogwarts graduate could see a strength in her, a strength she found very impressive. Not only had she survived this hellish ordeal, she had kept that child safe. She also seemed to recognise them as wizards. Hermione stepped over to the woman, her hands raised. She lowered her wand and put it in the back pocket of her jeans.

“We are the Order of the Phoenix, or a part of it, at least. We are sworn to fight the one who ordered the attack on you village, Mrs...”

“Katherine Walker. We could have used your help an hour ago, miss. You can rest easy, the fighting is done, it seems.”

Hermione nodded, noting the slight accusation in the woman's voice. She could hardly blame her. She looked around and saw several more people warily making their way to them, crawling out of whatever hole they had found to hide in while all this had been happening. They all looked at the giant, whispering to one another, pointing and shaking their heads.

The world had, for all intents and purposes, come crashing down over their heads. Hermione felt her heart ache when she saw people finding loved ones lying on the street, men, women, even children. There were wails of sorrow and cries of anguish, each one tearing at her very soul. This was the harsh reality of war, but it never got any easier and she refused to get used to it. She grit her teeth. Things like this were not supposed to happen; good people losing their loved ones, especially when it was a war they knew nothing about and had nothing to do with, even if they were the supposed enemies of Tom Riddle. She and the other Order members bowed their heads, keeping a respectful distance.

Then Hermione noticed a man standing a ways off, looking their way. He was too far away for her to discern any details, except he was tall, wore a long coat and carried a backpack. Of course _he_ had been here. That certainly explained things. A few moments longer they looked at one another, before suddenly, he disappeared. She looked at Katherine, who gave her a strained smile.

“He's the one who saved us. He fought these other wizards and slew the giant. Without him, I doubt there would be a living soul left in this town. He was strange, though. Not human, by the looks of things.”

“Jack saved my life too!” Sara exclaimed.

Hermione looked at the little girl, who seemed to suddenly come alive at the sight of the stranger. Jack, she had said. So, he had talked to some of them, at least, given a name, even. The girl seemed quite taken with him. Jack was probably not his real name, he obviously did not want to come into direct contact with the Order, else he would have come to them. Well, he had worked with them on a few occasions, but otherwise kept his distance and only spoke with Moody. Katie cleared her throat to get her attention.

“Hmm? Not human, you say? What makes you say that?”

“Well, he was very tall, had emerald green eyes with the strangest pupils I've ever seen. Almost cat-like, in fact and they seemed to glow. Oh, and jet black hair, slightly ruffled in the back.”

Now _that_ got Hermione's attention, who stared at Katie with such fierce eyes, that older woman felt somewhat uncomfortable. Emerald eyes, black hair, unruly at the back. She knew one person whose description might go along those lines. She was grasping at straws, but she had to ask.

“Did he have a lightening shaped scar on his forehead? Did he by any chance wear glasses? You know, those big, round ones?”

“Not that I saw, no. Well, he was wearing a wool cap when he came into my shop earlier to eat, before all this began and he certainly did not wear glasses. He seemed like a normal young man. Until the fighting started, that is. I only saw him fight that beast, but the speed, the strength. The _magic_. He threw boulders around as if they were nothing and great balls of fire, as well, almost as if he was manipulating the very earth itself. And of course, there was that big sword of his; the one he used to slay the giant. We were terrified, but we had another shock when he dropped his cap.”

“Oh?”

“Well, he had pointy ears! Big and pointy. So, not human, I should think. I'm a certified nurse, so I would know the human body well enough. He was badly injured, though. Mental, you know. Absolutely mental. Who cauterizes a wound by sticking a knife in their thigh? Bloody mental...” Katie said and grumbled a few obscenities. “That young man just came out from my restaurant, where I´ll wager you´ll find more of those evil, rotten bastards.”

“I thank you for your time.”

Hermione returned to Ron and related back to him what Katie had told her as they made their way along the street, finding more dead bodies, more destruction. Ron shook his head wearily. This stranger had been showing up all over the place for months, battling Death Eaters and other foul things in Riddle's employ. It was the first time they had been given such a good description of him, though. Well he would not worry about that now, that was certain.

Ron sighed. The giants had attacked a few times before, but usually more than one. And to think this was the damage done to a village by a single giant after less than an hour. Not surprising, really, but daunting non the less. It put things in a certain perspective and Ron shuddered to think that if one giant could do this, what could an army of these things do? Fortunately, Riddle seemed reluctant to allow these things free rein. He voiced his thoughts to Hermione as they walked through the street.

“Best not dwell on it, Ron. It will do us no good. Giants are notoriously individualistic, so perhaps we will not have to worry about a collective effort. At least I hope so. Let's go, Ron, I want to go check out that restaurant.”

The pair finally came upon Katie's and entered the building, only to find several people inside, all of them tied together same as the earlier group, wands safely away. What Hermione always found interesting was the lack of any wounds upon the Dark wizards the stranger fought.

Only a few light bruises and broken pride. He clearly was not a fan of unnecessary violence. She had noticed the clean way he had dispatched the giant, but it was strangely comforting to know he was seemingly free of any cruelty. They heard steps approaching, followed by the appearance of both Kingsley and Arthur. They looked weary and uneasy. Kingsley sat onto a chair, and ran a hand over his face.

“We got nothing of use out of them. Riddle seems to have completely erased from their memory anything that might help us gain any insight into his organisation. We learned their names, but that was about it. These poor bastards will be much the same, I'm afraid. I suggest we go home now, the ministry will be here shortly and I don't want to be here when they do. The others have already left.” What followed was a series of pops as the Order members Apparated away.


	4. V

V

Just to help people get an idea, of what Harry's new body is like: https://www.deviantart.com/docwendigo/art/The-witcher-3-Geralt-of-Rivia-694573217

I googled 'shirtless Geralt Witcher III', and this is one of the images, that came up. That's kind of what I had in mind. Buff, and a little big, but not huge. He's not Letho. Harry's not got a beard, or long hair, though.

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Harry let out a deep sigh as he felt the hot water envelop him. The pain in his ribs had finally subsided somewhat, after ingesting the healing potion he had brewed himself. It was nowhere near as good as anything, madame Pomfrey could conjure forth, but it would do in a pinch. He had returned to Gryffindor's stronghold an hour earlier, his side aching violently. Harry let his head fall back and looked at the ceiling, his mind wandering to the events of the day. Killing a giant. Huh. You didn't do that every day. He didn't fancy having another go at it any time soon, though; his body wouldn't be right for days, weeks.

All those bodies... All those homes and lives destroyed, in what seemed like the blink of an eye. To Harry's shame, that wasn't the most difficult thing he faced that day. No, that would be the appearance of his friends. He remembered, how he had almost run to them, Horcruxes, quests and Tom Riddle be damned, one and all. In the end though, he settled for watching them for a few moments, before Apparating away. They had looked good, all things considered.

Harry remained in the bath a while longer, washing himself thoroughly, taking extra care when washing the large gash on his head. It had finally stopped bleeding and he did not want it to start again. Usually you would stitch something like that, but you couldn't very well be expected to do that to your own head. So it would scar. Badly. As would the wound on his thigh, even with stitches. Some of the cuts on his arms would scar as well, but would mostly fade away with time.

He gently fingered a deep cut in his left shoulder, he had just stitched. Another scar, waiting to appear. Rolling his stiff shoulders, he rubbed the back of his neck, trying to ease out a knot that was forming there. He had landed a bit awkwardly after one of his rolls, to avoid the giant's massive club. It was what it was, and there was very little he could do about it, but learn, and be more careful next time.

Harry got out of the bath, and dried himself. He looked at his reflection in the mirror, and the stranger therein stared right back. He still had problems reconciling himself with his new body, which was starting to look a little worse for wear. All set with scars, he wasn't a pretty sight. A shallow scar ran across the bridge of his nose, a sign of how he'd broken it, and recently at that. Fortunately, it had not been disfigured in the event. Another faint scar, could be seen snaking its way from the corner of his right eye, down his cheekbone, ending just below it.

Twisting his body and neck, he examined the claw marks, that ran down his shoulder blade and across his lower back. Big, red and ugly. He'd survived those wounds because he'd had a healing potion in his Bag, and a friend who'd patched him up. Come to think of it, he'd not been to see her in quite a while. Some friend he was. This damn quest would lead to his death, he knew. All he hoped, was that he'd manage to at least destroy all the Horcruxes. The others could then finish the rotten bastard off, once that was done.

His mind was in utter turmoil, and refused to calm down. His friends had been there; he'd seen them for the first time, in almost two years. It had been much harder, than he would have had imagined. Sighing, Harry left the bathroom and limped down into the cellar, the place he spent most of his time, when not out hunting the Horcruxes or seeing to some other thing, that needed doing. He walked over to the small fireplace, and got a fire going. The medicine was working his body hard, he could tell. He really should be sleeping for maximum effect, but he knew that was not likely to happen. And so, he grabbed his Bag from the table and placed it in front of him, by the fire. Reaching in, he retrieved his blade, a piece of goat skin and a small bottle of oil.

He reached into the Bag once more, and out came a whetstone. A fighter always kept his blade in the best possible condition. Always. No exceptions. Gryffindor had drilled it into his mind, with a passion. It was what separated a living warrior, from a dead one, after all. Harry worked his blade, carefully stroking it with the whetstone, the sound of it soothing his mind. It felt comforting, to go through these motions; motions he'd repeated so often, he'd be able to do them in his sleep. After a while, he brought the blade up to his face, surveying his work.

Finding it satisfactory, he put the stone back in the Bag, and grabbed the bottle and rag. Wetting the skin with oil, he slowly rubbed the blade, until it shone like new, a thin layer of grease remaining on the silverite. Harry sheathed the sword once more, and placed it in the Bag, along with the instruments of his work. As soon as he did, he could feel his mind threatening to go wild once more, so he took a deep breath and sat back in the chair. In through the nose, out through the mouth. Harry felt his consciousness slip into a trance, and he smiled softly when remembering how difficult he had found this, in the beginning. As he felt his trance deepening, a part of his mind drifted to the events that followed his initial success at meditation...

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“ _Good, good, Harry. Yes! Just like that! You've gotten very good with a variety of swords, very good indeed and your skill with the shield is nothing to laugh at, either. You must remember, however, that even though you've mastered the forms, you have no experience in using these weapons in battle. An animated doll, is no match for a living being and nothing weighs more than experience, so approach every fight with the utmost care, and never, **ever** underestimate the opponent.” _

_Gryffindor continued._ “ _We could do with some more training with the bow, but I feel we must turn most of our attention to your meditation once more. By now you're quite well acquainted with this new body of yours and the meditative sessions we have been doing in the evenings have been showing progress.”_

_Harry nodded. It had been several weeks, since his transformation. Gryffindor had trained him rigorously, hours upon hours of learning fighting techniques, forms and how to properly care for his weapon. And while Harry worked the forms, Gryffindor kept schooling him on various topics._ _The young man felt he was becoming an expert on almost everything; beasts, spells, hexes, charms and curses. Even history. Just how bad was Binns, anyway? Harry shuddered when he recalled some of the mind numbingly dull lectures by Prof. Binns. Even if he'd never hear another word about the goblin rebellions, it would be too soon._

_Even though Harry's stamina was prodigious, each day left him completely exhausted and extremely hungry. At the end of every day, before Harry was allowed to eat, Gryffindor insisted he meditate, or try to anyway. They had found that, if Harry was tired enough, he could almost enter the kind of trance Gryffindor had spoken of._ _It had been a bit of a revelation, when Harry mentioned he had practised a little bit of Occlumency, which prompted Gryffindor to train him in that discipline as well, all the time cursing the fact that Dumbledore had forced him to learn from Snape, a man who hated the boy._

_Trust was needed for such things and Gryffindor was not surprised in the least, to learn the lessons had failed utterly. Limited as the portrait was in testing Harry's advances in building the defences in his mind, it had certainly helped Harry in organizing his mind, which made it easier to calm and focus his mind._ _Harry sat down on the floor, in the Lotus position, and went through the usual steps. He'd done this so many times, already! Refusing to let his impatience get the better of him, he fought it down, and kept to his task. Harry slowly filed the newest memories away, to their proper place and his mind became far less cluttered._

_After some time of careful breathing, he gradually felt his mind 'open'. Sensing the breach forming, Harry focused on expanding it and slowly, but surely the breach became a sizeable gap, big enough for him to get through._ _Slipping through, Harry found himself standing outside a small cave, a strong current of air flowing from it. Harry walked into the cave, not knowing what to expect. There was nothing of note inside, except a stone pillar, atop of which sat a simple clay bowl. Harry approached the bowl, and looked into it._

_The bowl was overflowing with what seemed like water. The liquid kept spilling onto the floor of the cavern. Frowning, Harry reached out with his hand, but stopped abruptly, as he felt a drop fall on his hand, followed by another and another after that. A brief tingling sensation followed, and Harry was even more curious now._ _Backing away a bit, he noticed a fair sized crack in the ceiling, which was dripping water into the bowl at a fairly quick rate. Harry stared at the bowl for a long time, before focusing his mind back to the real world and when he opened his eyes, he was sitting on the floor of Gryffindor's lab._

“ _Well, how did it go, my boy?”_

_Harry told Gryffindor of his experience, and the old man listened with great interest. Apparently, not many people had the ability to visualize their magical centre so vividly, and fewer still, had the strength to maintain their presence in there for longer than a pair of breaths._ _Judging by Harry's description of the place, Gryffindor believed Harry was currently not in balance; there was more magic flowing into him than he was able to regulate, properly. The boy had managed to sneak a peak into his own mind, but there was still a lot of work to do._

“ _You did very well, Harry, very well indeed. This is just the beginning, however. We have weeks of work ahead of us, months even. It will be hard, slow work, since this is not something we should rush.”_

_And so the months rolled on, and Harry spent his days working on bringing balance to his magic, which proved harder than he ever thought possible. Every once in a while, they would stop with the mind games, and train with swords for a few days. To clear the mind, Gryffindor said._ _Harry found the old man was right, after a few days of hard physical training, he found himself much calmer and less stressful. They would mix in lessons of history and magical theory, debates and other such things. The young man would also practice his Occlumency. Harry felt it somewhat difficult to admit, but he was enjoying himself immensely, despite everything._

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_It had been almost three months, since the day where Harry had finally managed to enter his own awareness. Once Harry had established a firm grasp on the art of entering his mind, they worked on his ability to maintain his presence there. Slowly and surely Harry became stronger, and more confident. One day, in early May, after an unusually long session, Harry lay on his back on the floor, breathing hard._ _Gryffindor looked at the boy with great admiration and pride. He had bottomless potential. No matter what was thrown at him, he would master it, and press on with steely resolve. This, and what came after would be no different. He decided it was time to show the boy why he'd been driven so hard in his training, a little something to reward honest progress._

“ _Follow me please.”_

_Harry rose from the floor, somewhat perplexed at the brisk tone and the pace, with which Gryffindor moved. Harry actually had to jog to keep up with the old man, who moved between the frames faster than Harry had ever seen him do._ _Well, to be perfectly honest, the old geezer had so many things to say, that whenever they were walking about, Harry had to walk slowly, so Gryffindor could use every frame in the large house to the fullest, in order to inject him with some wisdom, knowledge or advice. Eventually, Harry found himself in a part of the stronghold, he'd never been in before. A strangely secluded hallway, completely empty, aside from a painting at the very end._

_Standing before the painting, Harry studied it. It was a painting of a room, or rather a study of sorts. Hundreds of books lined the walls, stairs leaned against the shelves and in its centre, Harry saw a simple desk and a wooden chair that looked surprisingly comfortable. There was no sign of Gryffindor. Harry crossed his arms over his chest, studying the painting further._ _There was nothing further of note, Harry decided. So he studied the frame instead, golden and intricately woven with signs and symbols, none of which he had ever seen before. Of course, he had not taken Ancient runes in school, so it was not surprising._

_Meaning to have a look behind the painting, Harry grabbed the frame, which resulted in something very strange. The surface of the painting rippled as if it was floating, similar to the way water ripples in a bucket._ _Harry frowned in surprise. He tapped the frame softly, the result the same as before. He took a deep breath, and put a finger onto the image. He pulled his hand back, and the material stretched out a little, before snapping back. Harry smiled slightly and stepped into the frame with conviction. Not surprisingly, he found himself in the exact room he'd been looking at earlier. In a picture of a lovely garden, his mentor reclined in a divan, smiling at him._

“ _Well done, Harry, well done. I was confident you'd find your way here quickly. I think it's time for me to show you, what I can offer you when I've been convinced you have mastered your magic completely. At the moment, your magic is still overflowing and it will only increase and eventually become dangerous; it may burn you up.”_

“ _You've given me plenty already, Mr. Gryffindor. I can't ask for anything further,” Harry said._

“ _Nonsense, my boy. What I am going to show you, and eventually give you, I give freely and to a worthy cause. Now, go to the second shelf of the eastern wall, third book from the right. Pull on it, if you please.”_

_Harry found the correct book and put a finger on the top of the spine, and pulled on it. He heard a slight scraping sound and turned his head, to find a small alcove in one of the walls. In it, there was a small pillar of sorts, a sphere of some kind, lodged in its centre. The sphere was pulsing, power flowing from it through some kind of 'veins', reaching out from the pillar, disappearing from view._

_Harry assumed they wound their way through the complex; what he was looking at had to be the power source of this place. He knew what the sphere contained, but was hesitant to ask, as he felt it was a highly personal matter. He looked at Gryffindor, the unspoken question obvious on his face._

“ _What you are looking at, Harry, is me. A part of me, at any rate. In order for this place of mine to function properly, I designed this sphere to contain a part of myself; it bleeds into this place, giving it its power. I've been around a long, long time and I think it's time I let this portion of myself depart this world. I have decided to give this to you, once you have brought your magic under control. Now, while there is some power to be had here; what it mostly offers, is the opportunity to reach your full potential quicker.”_

“ _Quicker?” Harry asked the old man._

“ _Indeed,” Gryffindor said. “Almost instantly, in fact. You know it takes some mages decades, to reach their full potential, but we do not have the time to wait for it to happen. Once you have taken it, I will cease to exist. I will become no more than a regular, non magical portrait, unable to help you any further, aside from allowing you the use of this place.”_

_Harry was somewhat dumbstruck, regardless of the fact that he'd in truth, known, or at least suspected what Gryffindor had planned. He did not know if he was ready to be truly alone. It was a big step, one he'd been thinking of, almost constantly, but this made it so much more... real, somehow._

“ _I don't know if I'm ready for it, Gryffindor. Going out there alone? Looking for, and finding the Horcruxes, not to mention destroying them.”_

“ _That has been your plan, has it not? To go it alone, so that your friends would not have to go through it, as well? Admirable, but ultimately reckless. Should you decide to keep with that plan, you will need every advantage. I know you have limited experience with the world, young as you are, but you are intelligent, highly adaptable and headstrong, so I expect you'll have little trouble in that regard. Now, I want you to go rest, we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow.”_

_Harry was tired when he awoke, the following morning. Sleep had been hard to come by in the night, his mind bombarded with thoughts and questions he kept levelling at himself. He opened the wardrobe, and fished out clothes for the day; loose fitting pants and a belted tunic._ _He'd taken to wearing a pair of knee high leather boots he had found lying untouched in the wardrobe, his trainers had long since worn out, not to mention the fact that they were too small._

_A few days after he came to Gryffindor's stronghold, he realized he had to change clothes, of which there were plenty to choose from. At first they had made him feel silly, but he got used to them, after a while. He decided it was time to have a serious discussion about the Horcruxes, as they had spoken remarkably little of them in the time he'd been here._ _After eating breakfast, Harry, yet again, made his way to the basement. Waiting for him was his mentor, ready for the day, as he always was._

“ _Good morning, Harry. I would like us to start with meditating today. I think it's time for you to try and reach your centre without having to be completely exhausted to get there. It severely limits what you can do in there. Once you do get in there, I want you to try and focus on your magic. Try to prevent all that excess energy from spilling out; that is the first step. Once you have that, we can begin to learn to regulate it.”_

_Harry took his place on the floor and began his breathing routine at once. Almost immediately, Harry found himself outside the cave entrance, looking in. He ventured inside and found the bowl in short order. It was much the same, but there was more water spilling from the bowl than before, the crack wasn't dripping any more, it was leaking._ _Alarmed, Harry forced himself to remain calm and focused his mind on the water spilling over the edge of the bowl. He stared at the water for some time. Not really knowing what to do, he simply followed his instincts, and tried to will the water back into the bowl._

_The water on the floor, suddenly started to rise, until it was level with the bowl, slowly floating over to it. Before he dropped the water into the bowl, however, Harry stopped and looked at the thing. He was starting on the wrong end, obviously. He let the water fall to the ground with a splash, and instead, arched his head toward the crack in the ceiling._ _He had to reduce the flow into the cavern first. The bowl was overflowing as it was, so adding into it all the water on the floor, was like drying yourself in the rain. He focused his mind to the crack and to his astonishment, it started to close. Fast._

_Nearly panicking, Harry turned his head down, focusing on a pebble on the ground. He was trying to make the crack smaller, not close it, damn it! He heard a drop of water fall into the bowl and he stole a look at the crack again and found it somewhat hard to see this time, the flow of water greatly reduced. He breathed a sigh of relief; he'd almost shut himself off from magic..._

_Alright, that was one problem solved. Now for the rest. What was he supposed to do with all the excess water, flowing all over the place? The bowl would carry no more. Could he make it bigger? It stood to reason, that he could manipulate the bowl as he had the ceiling of the cavern. Harry approached the bowl and carefully picked it up, letting it rest in the palms of his hands. He closed his eyes and turned it counter clockwise in his hands._

_His sensitive fingers felt every imperfection, every part of the bowl. He visualized the bowl carefully in his mind, how it would look if it was bigger, and felt as the item in his hands started growing. Harry decided to only make it large enough, to hold the excess water that lay on the floor of the cavern, surely he could come back to it later._

_He put the somewhat larger bowl on the pillar, once more and eased the water into it, almost filling it to the brim. Harry let out a deep breath. This had been much easier than expected, but his success filled him with dread. It moved him ever closer to the eventual moment when he would have to go and actually start his quest and it made him terribly nervous. There was nothing for it, however, so he eased his consciousness back to the material world._

“ _Goodness me, lad, I was starting to wonder if you'd died on me. You've been in there for almost six hours.”_

“ _Six hours? I feel as if I was only in there, for a few moments. Anyway, I managed to bring my magic to balance, Gryffindor and I can feel the difference already.”_

“ _Oh? Pray tell.”_

_Harry stood up and moved around the room for a little while, to get his blood moving again. He told Gryffindor of what had transpired inside, and the old man took great interest in his tale. The boy had managed to do all of it in one go, truly remarkable._ _And good thing he did, too, because he was almost ready and would soon embark on his quest. Gryffindor knew the boy wanted to discuss the Hocruxes, but he had deliberately avoided the topic, because he was certain it would only be distracting to the young man, but they could delay it no longer._

“ _So. These Horcruxes, let us go over what we know. I, of course know what a Horcrux is, as do you, so let's focus beyond that, shall we?” Gryffindor said. Harry nodded gratefully. About time they got to the things that really mattered._

“ _There was Tom Riddle's diary, which I already destroyed, using a Basilisk fang and Dumbledore destroyed Marvolo Gaunt's ring. Dumbledore and I believed Riddle split his soul into six pieces, with himself being the seventh. He seems to think seven is the most powerful magical number. Some texts on Arithmancy seem to confirm that theory,” Harry said, but Gryffindor snorted, clearly annoyed._

“ _I've never understood the fascination with the number seven; it's just a number. In fairness, there are some spells and rituals, that do require exactly seven people to be present, but they are the exception, not the rule. Now, I want you to understand Harry, what Riddle did has severely crippled him. No one in their right mind would ever split their soul, in such a way. He seems to have no respect for the human soul, and as such, does not understand what power it holds. Had he kept his soul intact, he would be near invincible, judging from what you have told me, so in a way, he will have contributed to his own demise.”_

_Harry frowned. “Not unless I find, and destroy the rest of them. The problem is, I don't know where they may be. Slytherin's locket is lost, stolen by someone, known only as **R.A.B**. I've no idea who that person is. I also don't know, how to destroy the Horcruxes. I assume it was the Basilisk poison that destroyed the diary, and I don't fancy the idea of carrying that stuff on my person. It sounds unhealthy.”_

_Gryffindor could not help, but look at the young man with concern and a great deal of pity. He was barely more than a boy, yet he had been faced with many challenges in his short life. Challenges, which would have broken greater men, than him._ _Difficult as Harry's life had been thus far, Gryffindor knew this was just the beginning for the young lad. He also knew, the young man had a destiny even greater, than the one that lay before him now._

“ _I remember that locket,” the old man said. “As I recall, Salazar was very fond of it. It had some magical properties, but I never learned what they were. I do know that it could be opened, but only by parselmouths, a talent you already possess, strangely enough. It is an exceedingly rare gift and always hereditary. Are you aware of any parselmouths in your lineage, Harry?”_

_Harry shrugged at that. “I don't know much about my family, or its history, Gryffindor. In fact, I know almost nothing. No one bothered to tell me anything, for some reason. I do know I am a pureblood, on my father's side and that, by now, almost all purebloods should be related in some way, however distant the relation may be._

“ _I know Tom Riddle is very proficient at it, and probably acquired it from the Gaunts, who were purebloods. Riddle transferred some abilities to me when he tried to kill me all those years ago; we are, for better or worse, linked. It also explains the visions I sometimes had when I slept. There was an instant when I dreamed of an incident, where Arthur Weasley was almost killed by Nagini, Tom's snake. Because of that vision, we were able to save him. As a result I grew arrogant, and the bastard used it against me.”_

“ _How so?” Gryffindor asked._

_Harry took a deep breath to calm himself. “He fooled me, which lead to the death of my godfather, Sirius Black. I wondered if I could try and steal the knowledge of Tom's Horcruxes from his mind using Legilimency, but it's probably too dangerous. There is too much at stake, so that is out of the question. At least until I am fully confident in my ability to protect my mind.”_

_Gryffindor nodded appreciatively. “It is a very wise man, who recognizes and understands his own limits, Harry. It took me many years to accept mine, as I was a proud man, proud to the point of folly actually, and I am glad you seem to have avoided that fate. Going by what you have told me, Tom Riddle has not, and his arrogance will only help you. It is obvious, he will not consider any old thing as being worthy of holding a part of his soul. Gaunt's ring, that journal of his, and finally Salazar's locket...”_

_Gryffindor stroked his chin for a few moments, lost his thoughts. Harry, meanwhile, was rather pleased with the way things were going at the moment. Then suddenly, he remembered how Draco had once mentioned their manor was full of items related to the Dark Arts, carefully hidden beneath the living room in their house. Before Harry could give voice to his thoughts, however, Gryffindor spoke up once more._

“ _I must think further on this connection to Riddle, and also on how to destroy these things, so I propose we table that part of this discussion for now.” Gryffindor stared into the distance for a moment, before he went on._

“ _You know, Helga, Rowena, Salazar and I each had items we valued greatly, and kept close at hand at all times. I would not leave my house without my sword, as Salazar always wore his locket around his neck. Rowena prided herself at the beauty of her diadem, and I must say it was most pretty a bauble. Enhanced her already considerable wisdom and intelligence, it did. It was lost, though, stolen. In fact, her daughter disappeared around the same time, if I remember correctly. Strange coincidence, that.”_

“ _They never found her?”_

” _No,” Gryffindor replied sadly. “Poor Rowena was never the same, after that. And finally, my dearest Helga had the goblins build her a golden cup, and would not drink from another afterwards. Quite marvellous, really. Always full of some beverage or other; she was a right proper housewife, of course and it would not do to have an empty cup! But I digress. I think we can safely assume the cup and diadem to be Horcruxes, Harry.”_

“ _I just remembered something and I think I may know where to start looking, actually.” Harry said and went over how Draco had revealed his family's secret collection of Dark artefacts to him and Ron, while they were under the effects of the Polyjuice potion, appearing as Crabbe and Goyle at the time. The story, serious as it was, amused Gryffindor greatly. The bit where Hermione turned into a humanoid, cat was a point of particular mirth._

_His booming laughter echoed throughout the room and eventually Harry joined him. It felt strange to laugh again after all this time. Merlin, how long had it been? Months, surely. Gryffindor brought his mirth under control and looked at Harry with a twinkle in his eye, very similar to the one Dumbledore used to show at times._

“ _We must never let the world bereave us of our laughter and joy, Harry. As love can heal the soul, so can laughter. I urge you to try and find the humour in life, the small things, the big things and all in between. It can save your life, you know. You will not find any joyous laughter among the followers of Tom Riddle, of that I can assure you.”_

_Gryffindor rubbed his chin in a thoughtful manner before he continued. “I do agree with you, Harry. Malfoy Manor seems like a very good place to start. Malfoy had the diary in his possession, so it's not inconceivable he also got his hands on the locket or the cup, or perhaps both. It's just as well, we have no other leads. But first, there are two final things I would like to teach you. Since you have mastered the art of looking into yourself, I think it prudent you learned the opposite, as well. You'll master it quickly, I'm sure, as the two are very closely related.”_

“ _What do you have in mind? Harry asked, with great interest._

“ _Traditionally, humans interact with the world using the five senses; sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. What I am going to teach you, will go beyond the limits of those senses, you will feel the world around you in a much more profound way. You will sense the earth, the air, water, the very elements themselves. In addition, once you've become proficient enough, you can sense individual beings as every being has its own feel. Similarly, every place has a distinct feel, and I encourage you to experience as many of them as you can.”_

_Harry took great interest, in this latest piece of knowledge. He could sense other people? That would surely come in handy, once he went about finding the Horcruxes. It would also help him stay vigilant, although he suspected this was not some passive skill, but one that required some time, and effort every time he used it._

“ _I want you to clear your mind, the same way as before, but instead of focusing inside, I want you to focus on the outside, on a single thing in this room. The candle on the table, for example. It's not too big and fire is, by it's very nature a simple thing, but be careful. Fire is very volatile and dangerous, unless treated with care. Just probe it gently, once you feel it.”_

_Harry looked at the flame for a short while, before closing his eyes and slowly worked his mind. His consciousness skirted the edge of the trance he fell into when he entered his core, but instead of going in there, he pushed the other way and sought out the flame with his mind._ _A moment later, he could feel warmth and intensity, radiating from the flame, fusing itself with his mind, threatening to overload his senses. Harry hastily let go, afraid to hold it any longer. He would have to try again, with something less intense._

_The ground might be a safer bet, solid and sturdy. Slow. Harry reached out with his mind once more, into the rock and he felt slow tremors of sorts, deep beneath his feet. Reaching even further down, he could feel it coming in waves, the regularity and strength varied quite a bit._ _Water. He could feel it, clear as day. It was the sea, he realized. He was feeling the ocean crashing upon the cliff, far below. Retreating into his own mind, Harry shuddered. This was an intoxicating feeling, the world literally at his fingertips._

“ _This is incredible, Gryffindor! The level of power in the earth... It's astounding. How have we not heard of this? I'd assume, such powerful magic would be on anyone's lips, the sheer thrill of it is indescribable.”_

“ _It was ancient magic, even when I was young, Harry and mostly forgotten. I should be very surprised if anyone else knows of it, nowadays. Limited control over the classic Greek elements; earth, fire, water and air. Once you're proficient enough, you can even manipulate some of them together to create other effects, such as lightning. It originated in ancient Greece, and perfected in Egypt._

_The best translation I can give you on the title they wore would be elemental mage. This magic isn't very utilitarian, and the only part of it that can be used with any kind of finesse, is air, and even that takes quite a bit of concentration._ _I want you to go to the table by the wall and pick up the leather arm braces. Yes, those. These are from ancient Greece as well, designed to magnify the control one has over the elements. Put them on, please.”_

_Harry slipped his arms into the arm braces and laced them up. As soon as he did, he felt a slight tingle in his hands, which turned into a dull throb. Acting on impulse, he reached his right hand towards a candle, and suddenly, the small flame zipped across the table into his hand, where it formed into a small ball of fire. Harry chuckled softly, and tossed the ball from one hand to the other, before shooting it into the fireplace, creating a small explosion. He felt a little drained, however._

_Harry looked at his hands, marvelling at how much easier it was to concentrate with these things on his arms, easier to manipulate the energies and shape them to his liking. It was somewhat strange that Gryffindor hadn't given those to him before._ _But, then, the old man surely had a reason. He did nothing without purpose, after all. Harry looked expectantly over at Gryffindor, who smiled happily, yet sadly at the same time._

“ _You are almost ready, Harry. It will take some time for you to learn your limits, and how not to overextend yourself. This technique is very dangerous if approached without proper caution, which holds true for all magic, of course. The reason I did not ask you to don the braces immediately was for you to understand the ramifications of failing to control yourself. You felt the fire almost taking over, yes? Now let's begin.”_

_000000_

_One day, after three weeks of further training, Harry made his way to Gryffindor's study. He grimaced slightly before plunging through the portal on the wall. He decided he did not like that thing, it felt as if he somehow evaporated and was then put back together, once he came through the other side. I_ _t was not painful by any means, just very uncomfortable. Harry walked over to the painting, where his mentor looked at him with a deeply troubled frown. Once Harry asked him whether he was alright, the old man let out a sad sigh before speaking._

“ _Harry, I have been thinking of what you said, the other day about Riddle transferring some powers to you, and I must confess to being very troubled. You say you could sense how he was feeling at times, even if you could not peek into his mind. Such a connection..._

_Harry, I want you to prepare yourself for the possibility of a Horcrux existing inside of you, lad. Your very soul. Having thought this over many times, I believe this to be very likely. In fact, I'm certain of it. There's no way that I know of which allows a person to transfer abilities to another, or sense their feelings. There's also the fact that him touching you causes that scar to explode with pain.”_

_Harry stared at Gryffindor, his eyes wide as causers. A Horcrux within his soul? It was impossible. Riddle was an evil, sadistic bastard, whereas Harry believed himself to be at least a fairly decent human being. If he had a piece of Tom's soul in_ there _, should he not have felt it? Still, the old man was quite knowledgeable, and Harry trusted him completely by now._ _Harry gripped his chin, deep in thought, and a sudden thought wormed its way into his mind. If indeed, there was a Horcrux within him, bonded to his soul, how could he remove it? Some kind of spell, hopefully. Or a ritual. After all, magic could do almost anything._

_He took a deep breath and sat down in a chair and slowly worked himself into a short trance, which completely calmed him down, his Occlumency working its magic. He looked over at Gryffindor, who looked at him with deep concern in his eyes. Harry gave him a weak smile, before rising from the chair slowly._

“ _So, if we take this idea of living Horcruxes further, I am going to assume Nagini, Riddle's snake is also a part of his soul. True, he is a Parselmouth, but I find his control over the worm much stronger than it should be, between man and beast, so it should be a safe bet. I do have a question, though. Will Riddle not notice when I destroy the Horcruxes?”_

_Gryffindor stared at the boy, in wonder. Moments earlier, he'd been told he possibly had a piece of his nemesis inside of him, but already, he was asking questions and planning. Quite a remarkable young man, indeed._

“ _No, I do not believe so, Harry. These pieces are no longer a part of the whole, they are completely separate entities. Furthermore, I do not believe he can split his soul into any more pieces without killing himself in the process. By your description of his frail, unnatural body, I'd say he's almost there already._

_I have also thought on how to destroy these horrendous things. You were able to destroy the diary with the fang, and you are right, the poison most likely did destroy it. I do not believe that will work with any of the others, however. Except the snake, but simply killing the beast with a cutting curse, should be enough to destroy that Horcrux.”_

“ _Why wouldn't the poison be enough?” Harry asked._

_Gryffindor looked at Harry with a thoughtful frown. “I believe the reason you were able to destroy the diary, was because it had been exposed to Ginevra's soul. It was drawing from her strength, her soul, and was becoming a living entity itself, a proper person, if you will. Soul magic is a dangerous and tricky thing, and somewhat chaotic, Harry. Most people stay away from it, and for good reason. Salazar and I spent many an evening speaking of it and I believe I know how you can destroy the locket, cup and diadem.”_

“ _Oh?”_

“ _I believe, since you hold a piece of Tom Riddle's soul within you, the others will try and merge with you. You can draw the soul pieces out of those items and into yourself, and destroy them that way. I believe Dumbledore was quite right, when he told you your hidden power was love. Riddle's splintered soul pieces, full of darkness and hatred, will not be able to inhabit someone who holds such love and caring in their heart, as was apparent when he tried to possess you.”_

_Harry didn't look convinced. “That sounds a little far fetched,” he said._

“ _It won't be easy. They will attack you and try to possess you when they feel the connection. They will try to force out your soul, the same way you will try to expel them, and they will try to feed on your negative emotions. Your Occlumency will help you there, Harry. You can unlock your happy thoughts, while keeping the dark ones at bay. In theory. It is also one of the only feasible ways to do so, I believe.”_

“ _Why is that?” Harry asked, wearily._

_Gryffindor inclined his head, toward Harry. “Whenever an object is made into a Horcrux, it becomes almost impervious to damage. The reason for that is, it is not possible to destroy the soul, via physical means. There's also the fact that I have no idea where the Horcrux would go, when the object it was stored in, is destroyed. Does it die? Does it float out into the world, looking for another host? The variables are too great to chance it. There can be no uncertainty when dealing with these things.”_

_Harry wondered about that for a moment, then he looked up at the old man, his eyes hopeful. “Can I remove the Horcrux from myself that way? Try to find it within, and expel it?”_

_A pained expression came over Gryffindor's features as he shook his head. “A logical question, but I am afraid not, Harry. The Horcrux was placed there when you were just over a year old, and I expect it to have integrated itself in your soul, to such an extent where I imagine it is as much a part of you as your own soul. Perhaps, if you had been older when it happened, and known what you do now... It is a foreign object, but I can't see how you could remove one without the other. And to my knowledge, there's only one way to remove the soul, without destroying the body. You know what I speak of.”_

_Dementors. Disgusting, foul things. Harry briefly wondered if he should try and get a Dementor to kiss him, and hope it would remove the Horcrux, but dismissed it quickly. Those monsters would not pick and choose. What a foolish idea._ _He took a deep breath, and rubbed the back of his neck. He was trying to stay calm and composed and while the short meditation had certainly helped, he felt more agitated than he cared to admit. Without a word, he left the basement and lay down on his bed, but sleep proved illusive._

_000000_

_The following morning, Harry arrived in Gryffindor's study with a tired, but determined look in his eyes. He had known for a while, that he was never very likely survive the war, but he was determined to do whatever he could, to make certain old Snake Eyes snuffed it. Harry gave Gryffindor a firm look, that told him he was ready and that there was no time to lose. His mentor smiled, before he became deadly serious._

“ _Before we get to the part where I give this part of me to you, Harry, I want you to open the chest by the desk. In it, you'll find a small fortune in Galleons, Sickles and Knots. You're welcome to it, as you are welcome to everything in this house. In fact, once I'm gone, consider it yours.”_

_Harry opened the chest and sure enough, it was almost overflowing with money, the gold, bronze and silver coins glistening in the light cast by the torches. Harry could see a coin purse in one corner of the chest, bulging with coins._ _Harry grabbed a fistful of coins from the wooden container, let them slip through his fingers, and the clinking noise filled the room. He felt a small frown edge its way onto his face. More money._

_He was already extremely wealthy. Not only had his own family, the Potters been very wealthy, you could add to that, the even greater wealth of the House of Black, of which he was the current Head. Harry snorted. Head of two Houses, one of which had one living member, and the other was full of criminals, aside from Tonks and her mother Andromeda._

_He wasn't twenty yet, for Merlin's sake. He would have to make a stop at Gringott's soon, to look into his affairs. He remembered when he went to Gringott's for the first time, with Hagrid, before his first year. He had been so excited. Seeing the goblins, the ride in the cart, and he fondly recalled the thrill he had felt, when his vault opened, to reveal heaps of gold and gems and other treasures._

_He had felt somewhat less happy, the following year, when he'd gone there with the Weasleys, who were rather poor. At least in the physical sense. While it was true that, what they had as a family trumped any joy you would get from owning all the money in the world, you could not do without it. He would have liked to transfer some gold from his own vault, to theirs, but had thought better of it, knowing they would never accept it. They still had their pride, after all._

_He had not been of age, either, so he would have had to have the permission of Dumbledore, his guardian by proxy to make such a transfer, which the old man would most certainly have granted him, but he had not felt like asking for it._ _How was it, that men like Malfoy had it so good, when the really decent ones had to live off of scraps? Just another of the world's injustices, Harry supposed. And men of Malfoy's ilk, had a willingness to step all over others. Quite similar to Vernon Dursley, in fact._

“ _That coin purse is a fine invention. It is directly connected to the chest and it fills automatically with coins. Quite useful. Something troubling you, lad?”_

_Harry shook his head. “I have a bit of disdain for money, that's all. Greed is a cancer upon the world, both magical and mundane. Please, let's not dwell on it.”_

_Letting the matter drop, Gryffindor motioned for Harry to open the secret compartment, that held the special orb. He felt the slow vibrations of power flow from it as soon as the compartment slid open._

“ _All you have to do, is take the sphere into your hand, then open yourself up to the power, let it flow into you and control it as you did before. Have no fear and be brave, Harry. You are both strong and capable; you survived the potion and mastered your magic. I firmly believe you can destroy those Horcuxes, just have faith in yourself, my boy. Now get to it. No goodbyes, Harry. I've never been any good at those.”_

_And with that, Gryffindor disappeared from the frame, leaving Harry alone in the room, facing the sphere. This was it, then. After a few moments, he'd be alone. A slight tremor went through Harry as he contemplated that thought._ _He'd gotten close to the old man, over the months since he'd arrived at his house. Losing the people closest to him was something he knew very well by now, of course, but it was not something you could get used to. It was always awful and it always hurt._

_000000_

_Harry squared his shoulders and approached the sphere, his hand extending slowly. He felt the orb fill his palm and he lifted it up from the pedestal, grasping it tightly. The touch was electrifying and a strong current flowed through him, threatening to burn him to cinders._ _His hand shook and he took a deep breath to steady himself, and after a while, he felt himself slowly fade into a very familiar trance, wherein he would stabilize himself, then open up his body to receive the power the sphere promised._

_In his current state, Harry was only dimly aware of how Gryffindor's stronghold seemed to simmer down, the source of its power no longer supplying it with the vital energy it required, to function properly._

_Harry found himself in the familiar cave, his eyes focusing on the bowl. It was tranquil at the moment, the surface completely still. It wouldn't be for long, though. Harry felt the crack in the ceiling open up. The power came rushing through, but he was ready for it and gently accepted it, merging it with what power he already had, the process succeeding flawlessly._

_As Harry let himself return to the physical world, he felt a sense of elation and then, a calmness he had rarely felt before, as he experienced an understanding he had never known. So that was what Gryffindor had been talking about when he mentioned understanding, it had unlocked even more of his potential. For example, he understood how the sphere worked, how it had powered the Stronghold. What a rush it was. He felt incredibly powerful._

_Harry walked over to the chest and grabbed the coin purse and placed it into his pocket. There was no time to waste, now. He walked down to the kitchen to get himself some food, then made his way to the baths to clean himself up. Once he had done that, he went to the foyer and stared at the portrait of Gryffindor._ _The Hogwarts founder sat on a stool in the frame, not moving. So it was true, then. Godric Gryffindor had been reduced to nothing more than a regular Muggle portrait. Harry went to bed that night satisfied with the day's events, his mind set on a trip to Diagon Alley first thing in the morning._

_000000_

_Harry ascended the stairs that led to the top of the cliff for the first time in nearly a year. He had gone outside since he came to the stronghold, of course. However, at Gryffindor's behest, he had restricted his movements to the interior of the cave, just to be safe. As he came to the top of the stairs, he checked his pockets to make certain he had brought the coin purse._

_He needed to go to Diagon Alley to buy himself some clothes, something less conspicuous; he had to be able to move around without attracting too much attention. At present, he looked like someone starring in a stage production of Romeo and Juliet. Even in the Wizarding world, that would make people look twice, something Harry desperately wanted to avoid._

_It was a wet June morning, that welcomed the young man as he emerged from the stairs, the temperature a lovely fifteen decrees. Harry looked up at the sky, allowing the raindrops to fall on his grinning face. He enjoyed feeling the wetness on his face, refreshing after spending all this time, confined inside._ _Harry ran a hand through his long hair. Nearly a year spent down there. How quickly time went by... Oh well. Rubbing his hands together, Harry visualized in his mind, the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron, on the Muggle side of London and just like that, he disappeared._

_A second later, he found himself in an alley, across the entrance of the famous inn on Charing Cross road. Harry smiled. The wooden sign and the curved entrance was a welcome sight. He went inside and took a deep breath once there, his eyes scanning what he could see of the first floor, noting each person in turn, what they looked like, what they wore, and so on._

_He needed to be fully aware of his surroundings, so he found a secluded table with a view of the entrance. He had a meal of fried bacon and eggs, the taste quite exquisite after such a long time, eating out of the larder of Gryffindor's stronghold and he thoroughly enjoyed it._ _He felt a little bit like he was experiencing the world for the first time and in a way, he was. Everything felt different. He was so much more aware of everything, his capacity for gathering and processing information on his surroundings astounded him._

_After a while, Harry felt a massive headache coming. He had, of course expected some changes, but Gryffindor's stronghold had engaged those rather newfound senses of his in a very limited way._ _Harry reached his hand over to the next table, and grabbed the day's 'Prophet'. No mention of Voldemort, nor his Death Eaters on the front cover. Nothing on the back cover either. Frowning, he scanned the rest of the paper. Well, no news were surely better than bad news, but still. It was as if life was going the same as always._

_Perhaps the **Quibbler** would have something worth reading. Luna's dad was a strange fellow, who held some peculiar beliefs, to say the least, but he was a highly intelligent man, who was rarely wrong in his assumptions, if he curbed his more fantastical leanings. At least that was what Harry had gathered, from talking with the very intelligent Luna, and he had no reason to doubt her, even if she was as strange as her father._

_Harry finished his meal, and went through the Leaky Cauldron and entered the back allay, which lead to Diagon Alley. Since he had no wand, he willed a trickle of power into his hand, and tapped the brick wall in the correct sequence. The wall parted and Harry stepped into Diagon, his mouth angling in a small grin. Diagon Alley._

_The same as always, bursting with life, people going about their business. It really looked like nothing was wrong. Harry refused to believe it, though. Surely Riddle had not stayed idle since Dumbledore's death? While Harry was disinclined to play up his own importance, he was sure his disappearance must've had some impact. The Ministry had to be controlling the media to some extent._

_As his survey of the Alley continued, Harry's eyes lingered on the closed shops of Florean Fortesque and Garrick Ollivander. A shudder of rage ran through him. He could understand removing Ollivander, but an ice cream maker? It made no sense. His eyes travelled further along the street, and came to a stop on Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. Just how in the world were they still in business?_

_Shaking his head in wonderment, Harry walked over to a news stand, grabbed a copy of the **Quibbler** and tossed an old man a silver sickle. He unfolded the paper and saw his own face staring back at him. Arching an eyebrow, Harry read the headline: **HARRY POTTER SIGHTED IN LEEDS.**_

_He snorted. Who in their right mind would ever go to Leeds? And that was it. No mention of anything war related at all. Harry handed the old man the paper again with a wink and went on his way. The old man grinned back, and put the paper back in the stand. T_ _ime to head to Madam Malkin's. She mostly sold robes, but Harry knew he would find all sorts of clothing in that store, and it would be of the highest quality as well. As Harry entered the store, Madam Malkin came dashing to him from behind a rack, filled with Hogwarts robes of varying sizes. Harry gave her a lopsided smile._

“ _Good morning, dear. What can I do for you?”_

“ _Good morning, Madam Malkin. I'm in the need of new clothes, shirts, pants, that kind of thing. I don't need any robes today.”_

“ _Certainly, certainly. Follow me, please. We just received a new shipment yesterday, so I'm sure we can find something to your tastes, young man. Were you looking for anything specific?”_

“ _It's alright, I'm sure I can find what I'm looking for on my own. I will find you, should I need anything.”_

_Madam Malkin led Harry into a section of the store, behind a thin curtain, a plaque on the wall read: Everyday Apparel. She gave Harry a polite smile and rushed back to greet a pair of customers, who had just entered the store. Harry picked out a couple of dark blue work shirts, a couple of dark cargo pants, a few t-shirts. He found himself some socks and briefs and a pair of fingerless gloves, as well as a wool cap._

_He needed something to hide his ears, after all. They were currently safely hidden beneath his mane of hair, but Harry was desperate to get a haircut, even if he had to do it himself. It was way too much work, to maintain all that hair._ _Short and tidy, thank you very much. Or as tidy as that mess on the top of his head could ever be. Oh he needed scissors. He grabbed a pair of tall working boots, and he needed a coat as well. He walked over to the coat section, and almost immediately, found a charcoal grey trench coat he liked. It was a perfect fit. It hugged his frame slightly, but in such a way that he could move, without any difficulty. The coat reached half way down to his ankles, providing warmth and shelter._

_Harry quit Madam Malkin's, and made his way down the street, heading to Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment. If memory served, Mr. Wiseacre used to sell a kind of backpack called Bag of Holding; a pack which was charmed with a permanent expanding charm, so that it could hold much more than its outward appearance promised. It was also very light. Once Harry had procured the Bag, he went back to the Cauldron and rented a room under the name 'Jack'._

_Harry let himself fall onto the bed, completely exhausted. His heightened senses had been assaulting him all day, and sorting through it all it had been difficult, to say the least. He knew he'd get used to it in time._ _He tucked his hands behind his head and stared at the ceiling, his eyes focusing on a spot in one of the corners. Tomorrow, it was on to Wiltshire. He would have to get back to Muggle London, then take a train to Swindon. Which reminded him, he needed to exchange some Galleons to pounds._

_Fortunately there was a contraption in the Alley that allowed for such, a sort of Gringotts ATM. After that... All he knew, was that Malfoy manor was somewhere in Wiltshere, which was a fairly big county; was the manor near Chippenham, or was it further south, by Salisbury? He'd have ask around, surely someone knew._ _Unless its location was kept secret by means of the Fidelius Charm, of course. Then he'd never find it, unless he somehow found the secret keeper and even then, the information had to be given freely. Eventually, Harry rolled over to his side and closed his eyes, sleep claiming him almost instantly._

_000000_

_Harry stepped off the train in Swindon, hoisting the Bag onto his shoulder. He felt a small tingling in his palms. He was actually setting out on his quest, after a year of training and he felt elated, to have taken the first step towards his goal, despite some fear and uncertainty. A sense of guilt found its way into his mind, though. His friends really should be there..._

_Ignoring his mind, he waved over a porter and asked him if he knew of a tourist information desk. The porter waved his hand vaguely to the east, then hurried on to help passengers with their luggage. Harry strode to the east of the station, and quickly found the desk, a pretty woman with blonde hair and blue eyes greeted him with a professional looking smile._

“ _Good day to you, sir, my name is Betty. How may I help you?”_

“ _Hello, Betty. I'm studying architecture and a mate told me there were a lot of old manor houses in Wiltshire, but the bloody git did not tell me where and I didn't think to ask, so I was wondering if you could help me out?” Harry smiled politely at Betty while cringing on the inside. How pathetic had that been?_

_Betty snorted and stared at him with a raised eyebrow. “Well, I don't know anything about architecture, but I do know the woodland, north of Salisbury is full of those snobs in their expensive houses, with their big grounds and gates and fences. I'd go there if I were you. Just don't expect them to invite you for tea.”_

_Slightly taken aback by the woman's attitude, Harry thanked her and made his way out of the station, his mind racing. He had to somehow get from where he was, toward Salisbury. Sod it all, he'd take a cab. He hailed one, which took him out of the city and into the country._ _The cabbie eyed Harry in the rear view mirror. A strange fellow, this one, to be sure. He'd sat in the cab for ten minutes, not uttering a single word, save to ask him to drive until he was asked to stop. Unusual, that._

“ _So, where are you headed, lad? Not a lot to see out here, nothing but a few small villages and a few manor houses, really.”_

“ _Visiting relatives. The Malfoys, to be exact. I've never been, so they invited me over for the summer.”_

_The driver's eyes went wide. The Malfoy house? An ominous place, if there ever was one. Strange happenings, and even stranger people coming and going, according to the rumours. Very reclusive lot, hardly seen among other people. After a few miles, Harry saw the first driveway, closed by an intricately worked iron gate._

“ _Is it much further to Malfoy manor?” Harry asked._

_The cabbie shook his head. “It's the next driveway over, I think.”_

“ _All right, I think I can manage, sir. Just pull over, I'll walk from here.” The cab driver knew he was visibly relieved, when Harry told him to stop. He was not a particularly superstitious man, but he was not too keen on going any closer to the Malfoy place, than he had to._

_Harry thanked the driver, who drove off somewhat more urgently, than he thought was strictly necessary. He rolled his shoulders and walked on, maintaining a vigilant eye on the forest, which lined the road on both sides. Some time later, Harry came upon the gate to Malfoy manor, and found it surprisingly plain. Judging by how much Draco liked to brag about his family's wealth, he'd half expected the thing to be lined with gold._

_Looking at the sky, Harry reckoned it was around four o'clock. He'd go into the forest, and take a look while it was still bright out. He did not want to rely on his ability to see in the dark, since he had not used it to any extent. Harry entered the forest, and a few moments later, he closed his eyes and reached out with his mind._

_Harry let up, and opened his eyes once more. There were no wards in place, aside from anti-Apparition and Portkey wards. Strange. He trekked further and the house came into view. It was less of a house and more of a villa, as it turned out. Harry grimaced when examining the place; well over a hundred yards of open space between him and the house, and very little cover. What he would've given to have his invisibility cloak, at that moment..._

_Well, there was a chance to get there unseen, under the cover of darkness, but he had to move fast. He surveyed the estate for a few hours, his eyes adjusting to the change in visibility. There was some activity in the house, he could tell. Shadows moving beyond closed curtains, a few people went outside for a minute, then back inside, one of whom was Bellatrix Lestrange._

_Harry's hands clenched in anger, when he saw the murderous witch, the memory of Sirius falling through the Veil, never to return, flashing across his mind. Taking a deep breath, Harry calmed himself. This was not the time to lose his head. He sat behind a nearby tree, drawing his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them. He'd meditate while, then make his move._

_A few hours later, Harry arose from his hiding spot and gazed upon the house once more. It was almost pitch black, the overcast sky shielding the world from the moon's silvery light. He left the backpack behind, and slowly made his way to the treeline, his mind racing and his blood pumping._ _Now or never. Harry crouched low and in a careful dash, made his way to the nearest wall, his heart beating like a jack hammer in his chest. He was certain someone would hear his hammering heart, and bring the sky on top of him, but nothing of the sort happened; the night was as quiet, as before._

_As his heart calmed, the young man closed his eyes, and focused on his hearing. A few were awake, all on the second story, the rest most likely asleep. He assumed the number of people in the manor and the frequent comings and goings were the reason for there being no wards on the property; it would be a real hassle to key every newcomer into the wards, so better to have none at all._

_Besides, fear was a great discouragement. Or maybe Riddle was just that arrogant, to believe he did not need them. Harry walked slowly by the wall, listening intently, when he heard a woman crying softly, muttering to herself under her breath. The voice came from a second story window. As Harry got closer, he could make out her words._

“ _Please, don't let my son die, please don't hurt him any more. Please. He's loyal, as loyal as any of the others. Why must they keep torturing him?”_

_Harry frowned. He knew that voice, even though he'd only heard it once before. It belonged to Narcissa Malfoy. He heard the door open, and someone entered the room. Narcissa leaped to her feet, almost running toward the newcomer._

“ _I must say, Narcissa, my dear nephew is stronger than I thought. He's still conscious. I would have thought he'd not last this long, after our session yesterday.”_

_Harry looked up at the window a dark expression clouding his features. Draco was being tortured and had been for a while, by Balletrix' words. She really was completely insane. Torturing her own nephew, for Merlin's sake._

“ _When will it be enough, Bella? Has he not been punished enough? Surely, he has seen the error of his ways, by now. Torture Snape if you must. Please, you must-”_

_A slap, then another, followed by a third. A thud, as Narcissa, Harry assumed, fell to the floor. Draco's mother sobbed quietly._

“ _Those two will never be trusted by our Lord again, Narcissa! Draco failed to kill that senile old fool, Dumbledore and Severus had the gall to do so in your son's stead. Snape must've thought, to gain prestige by doing so. Ha! Our Lord has no use for those who act on their own. Nor, does he forgive failure, as you well know. A fact well known to Snape. And, to think they thought they could run and hide! From us? From **me**? No, they will die a slow, painful death, Narcissa.”_

“ _But, the Vow. Severus was merely doing as he was bound to do! And you were our Bonder, you can't-”_

“ _Be quiet, Cissy! The Mark has many uses, sister. Why can you not accept his fate as your husband has? Lucius may be useless, but at least he knows where his loyalties lie. When our Lord returns tomorrow evening, he will decide when they will die. I suggest you get yourself together, before then. Now, I am a kind, gentle soul, Cissy and I was always rather fond of my nephew, so I will allow you to bring him food this night, so that you may see your son. The guards know to let you in, but you will not be allowed to see him alone.”_

_And with that Bellatrix left her weeping sister on the floor. Harry slid down the wall, beneath the window, his hands damp with sweat. Not only Draco, but Snape too. No matter how much he disliked those two, no one deserved to be treated this way. He had to get them out. Then, a sudden thought flashed through his mind._ _He hated himself for even thinking it, but this situation could be used in his favour._

_If he could manage to help them escape, he could use the distraction to get to the vault, or wherever the Malfoys kept their treasures, unseen._ _Hopefully Riddle would not think to check on the vault. He heard Narcissa stand up and walk to the window. Harry pressed himself to the wall as best he could. Narcissa took a deep breath to calm herself, before she spoke into the night._

“ _Oh, Andie, if you could see our sister now,” she said in a trembling voice. “There's something very wrong with Bellatrix. What has that monster done to her? Where is my sister, my sweet older sister? And you, Lucius, I curse the day my parents and aunt Walburga gave Bella and I to you and that dimwitted thug, Rodolphus...”_

_With a trembling sigh, Narcissa closed the window and left the room. So Bellatrix's and Narcissa's marriages had been pre-arranged. Harry was not surprised, really. Damn purebloods and their traditions. Harry's heart went out to the woman. Truly._ _Harry got to his feet, and made his way to the back of the house. Surely a house such a this one had an outside entrance to the basement. As soon as he rounded the corner, he saw stairs going down, a few yards further, but he also began to hear the faint whispers of two men, through a nearby grate. One was obviously in great pain, struggling to gain control over his breathing, which was somewhat irregular._

_Harry knew why, of course. The twitching that followed the Cruciatus was not pleasant. The other man, Snape, was trying to remain calm. He had little luck, however and Harry could well imagine why. No matter how evil you were, it had to be hard, as a former Head of a Hogwart's house, to see a former student of yours tortured._ _Harry edged his way forward warily._

_He had discovered two additional people in the basement, guards, most likely. He descended the stairs, and found the door unlocked. He pressed his palm against the door and it opened soundlessly to a surprisingly spacious hallway with a low ceiling. Every few feet, a column rose to the ceiling, supporting the upper floor. Stacks of firewood lined one wall, and wine racks filled with wine, lined the other, but one of the racks was half empty, Harry noted._

_He sniffed the air, noting various aromas. It was all very 'clean' somehow, not a speck of dust to be seen anywhere. Mr. Malfoy obviously kept a very neat house. Harry was suddenly very glad to have freed Dobby all those years ago. The idea of his friend being stuck in this house left a sour taste in his mouth._ _Harry kept his ears perked for any change in the breathing of the two men, he knew stood just around the corner. As it was, they were completely unaware of his presence. He needed to take those two out of the equation without making a sound. Harry risked a peek around the corner, to find the men standing on either side of the door which held Snape and Draco, obviously bored out of their minds._

_Harry grinned mischievously, and extended his hand carefully and with great concentration, wove air around the pair's throats and mouths and squeezed them tightly, while simultaneously holding them in place. In short order, they both lost consciousness and Harry gently lowered them to the floor. He made his way over to them, searching for the keys do the door. Harry opened the door, expecting the worst._ _Snape and Draco sat on the floor, their backs to the wall opposite the door. While the two men did not look good, by any means, they seemed to be faring better than Harry had imagined. Judging by their twitching muscles and red eyes, they had been subjected, intermittently, to the Cruciatus for a while. Bellatrix had not done any more than that, at least._

_They were most likely newly captured, and the very sadistic Bellatrix would want to prolong this as much as possible. Releasing a deep breath, Harry turned around and dragged the two Death Eaters into the room effortlessly. He reached inside of the guards robes, and produced the captives' wands. Then he walked over to Snape and extended a hand to his former potions master._

_000000_

_Snape rested his head against the wall, physically and mentally exhausted. Three days since their capture, three days of intense torture at the hands of Bellatrix. He turned his head toward the blonde youth next to him, his former student. The boy was holding out remarkably well, considering the situation, his eyes focused and determined, though red with pain and weariness._

_At first, Draco had not believed it, when his father had not objected when Bellatrix had demanded he be subjected to torture, until such a time the Dark Lord returned from whatever else occupied his time. The former Hogwart's potions master closed his eyes. He had seen the hurt and eventual understanding in Draco's eyes, and that it had torn him apart. Lucius Malfoy's standing within the Dark Lord's organization was more important to him, than his own son._

_Lucius had needed to do anything possible, to regain his Lord's favour, after not looking for his master after his fall. The Death Eater's foray into the DoM had been Lucius' chance to get back into his good graces, but had failed spectacularly._ _The Dark Lord had given Draco a chance, to regain their standing by murdering Dumbledore, but that, too, had failed. Snape did not know how Lucius was still among the living, and honestly, he did not care, but apparently it involved sacrificing his son._

_Narcissa had not dared say a word at the time, but Snape knew there was a strength in that woman. She was a Black after all and the Blacks where nothing, if not strong. He was certain she would have done anything in her power, to get at least her son some leniency. Snape almost chuckled, when he thought of the treatment Lucius would endure at the hands of his wife, when he returned._

_While Narcissa was a firm believer in the importance of honouring the traditions of wizarding society, she had never officially been a Death Eater and she abhorred many of the things her husband and his colleagues had done. Snape very much doubted she had been happy when The Dark Lord chose Malfoy Manor, as one of his bases of operations. In fact, he was fairly certain the woman hated him._

_Snape's eyes flew open as he heard the keys rattle in the lock on the door, to reveal a tall young man, who stood in the doorway for a second before turning around, to effortlessly drag two incapacitated Death Eaters into the room._ _The man dumped the two unceremoniously on the floor behind the door, before reaching inside one of the men's robes and produced what Snape recognized as his and Draco's wands. Walking over to him, the newcomer extended his hand to him in a bid to pull him to his feet._

_Snape hesitated for a second before grasping the stranger's hand, who pulled him to his feet as if he was a bag of feathers. The man turned to Draco, who likewise, grabbed his hand. It was all very strange to Snape, who had been very certain his demise was at hand._ _He was still unsure whether or not that was the case. The man, who looked to be in his mid twenties was very tall, and obviously well muscled. Yet, he moved with the almost unnatural grace of a seasoned ballet dancer, or a professional gymnast would be more accurate._

“ _Who are you and what are you doing here?” Snape demanded quietly. The young man's eyes narrowed, slightly._

“ _Someone who can get you-”_

_The man held up a finger, signalling for Snape and Draco to be silent. He dashed to the door, not making a single sound. Snape was a bit awed at the way such a big man, could move with such finesse. Standing by the door, the man leaned slightly forward, his hand on the wall, his eyes closed. He relaxed slightly, without dropping his guard. He turned to Draco._

“ _Your mother is coming down here. I need you to make sure she remains calm when she sees us in the hallway. Can you do that?” Draco nodded before his eyes narrowed dangerously._

“ _If she was allowed down here, she'd have been here already. How do you know she's coming?”_

“ _I have very keen senses, Malfoy,” Harry said. “She's on her way to the stairs leading down here, and it would be prudent for us to bind, and gag these two idiots and get to the hallway, before she sees the door open and no one guarding it. Quickly!”_

_Snape hurried over and stunned the men for and put them under a full body bind, with Draco standing there, feeling somewhat useless. A minute later, the trio quit the room to stand outside the door. Harry faced the end of the hallway, which Draco knew led to the upper floor._

_Less than a minute later Draco saw his mother come around the corner, holding a tray in her hands. Her eyes were downcast and she was obviously very deep in thought, as she was nearly upon them, before she noticed them. Her eyes lit up, and she nearly dropped the tray, which Harry took from her hands. Draco quickly put a hand over his mother's mouth, while whispering in her ear:_

“ _Please, be quiet Mother, they must not hear us.”_

_Narcissa nodded and hugged her son tightly, almost afraid to let him go. Finally, Draco pried himself from his mother's arms, and rounded on Harry, who motioned for them to follow him. They did so, quietly and without reserve. Once they rounded the corner, Harry put the tray down and looked at the other three. Finally, Narcissa spoke._

“ _Who are you and why are you trying to save my son?”_

_Narcissa had regained her composure, and spoke with the authority of someone, who was used to being answered in short order. Harry fought down the urge to grin at her._

“ _Who I am is unimportant, and I did not come here to save them. I didn't even know they were here. Once I learned they were here, and heard of your husband's betrayal and what your dear sister was doing to him and to Snape here, I could not stand by and let it continue.”_

_Snape was somewhat surprised the stranger knew who he was, and he was certain he'd never seen this man before. He knew he'd remember, this man was not someone you'd forget easily. Snape agreed, Narcissa was right in questioning his motives, even if this was hardly the time nor place to do so. The stranger continued._

“ _I need to get to the secret sub-basement. I know your family has a lot of dark artefacts stored there, to keep them safely hidden in case of a surprise Ministry raid.”_

_Narcissa was reeling. How did he know so much about all this? Her husband's actions, her sister's involvement, and not to mention the hidden space, beneath their feet. But she was also becoming rather angry. There was no way she was going to help some stranger loot her home, even if she was fleeing from it. To her surprise the stranger seemed to know exactly what she was thinking._

“ _Narcissa, I am not some thief, come to your home in search of a few baubles, I can take to Borgin and Burkes for a few Sickles. I am after very specific items and I don't even know if they are here or not. I hate to admit it, but I need your help. This can help in the defeat of Tom Riddle, which, incidentally, is the only way you and your son, will ever be safe. A life on the run does not sound appealing.”_

_Narcissa was conflicted. That boy obviously knew all the right things to say, in order to get her to help. Still she was unsure. This whelp was going to defeat the Dark Lord? And he even used the Lord's given name, a name few knew and fewer still, dared to speak. But she knew he was right, her sister would hunt them to the ends of the earth, enjoying every minute of it, no doubt._

_Mrs. Malfoy strode to a wine rack almost directly in front of the door into the cellar, the one Harry had noted was half empty. Starting from the upper left corner, she removed the bottle and placed it in the center of the top row, the upper right one in the center of the right row, and so on. The rack slid to the side, with a low grating sound, revealing a small door, just big enough for one person to go through._

_Harry watched in excitement as the door opened, revealing short stairs into a small room. He nodded his thanks to Narcissa and almost ran through the small doorway, throwing caution to the wind. He made his way down into the room, and almost instantly saw Slytherin's locket on a table in the middle of the room. Lucky!_

_He quickly scanned the rest of the room, but saw neither the cup, nor diadem. Harry's eyes found the locket again and in his excitement, he grabbed it without thinking, which turned out to be a mistake. Pain shot through him, and he grunted with the effort to contain his scream as the pain became worse. This was only slightly less painful, than the time when he had ingested the potion, all those months ago._

_He dropped to his knees, as the locket attacked his mind. He started having doubts about his whole quest. He had done enough, surely. Why was he here, when his friends were at Hogwarts, finishing their education, spending time with their families and friends, over the holidays? For some reason, he started getting angry at them for leaving him alone out here. But wait._

_His was the decision, to leave for this quest on his own. He was here, so that they didn't have to be. He had decided to shoulder this burden, and he would do so until his last breath. The pain started to fade a little bit. He was not going to let this damn locket, get the better of him, there was just no way he was going to be found dead, in the cellar of the Malfoy house!_

_And with that, Harry felt his Occlumency take over, and he pushed back with his own mind, thoughts of his friends driving him and felt the locket tremble in his hand. Harry pushed more of his own will into the locket, which shook even more violently, starting to heat up, more and more. Harry's hand was burning, and he could smell his palm's flesh almost frying under the heat. Finally, though, Harry's superior will won over, and the locket exploded with power in his closed hand, searing itself to the skin._

_Harry tore the locket free from his palm, and got to his feet. He pocketed the cursed thing, and started to climb the stairs, and saw the other three stand there, questions in their eyes. He emerged from the stairs, and Mrs. Malfoy placed the bottles in their respective slots, and the rack closed again. Harry was completely exhausted, and he was panting heavily, which was why he had not heard the several people descending the stairs, into the cellar._

“ _THE PRISONERS HAVE ESCAPED!”_

_Harry shook his head, annoyed. Things had been going so well, damn it! He ran up the stairs, and onto the grounds, which at the moment, were bathed in moonlight. Harry further cursed their luck._

“ _We have to make a run for the forest!”_

_As soon as Harry said that, a stunner came roaring his way from the doorway, forcing him to roll out of the way. Unfortunately, the red coloured spell hit Narcissa square in the chest, and the woman started to fall over, before Harry caught her and held her in his arms, bridal style. The Death Eaters came pouring out of the door like a dark flood, firing hexes and curses at the fleeing foursome._

_Shouting for Snape and Draco to keep going, Harry slowed down and tore a small piece of turf out of the ground, and sent it hurling at the Death Eaters. He caught three of them, who fell and did not rise again._ _As Harry turned to follow the two men, he saw Bellatrix come running, along with several Death Eaters. He gently put Narcissa down, and made a sweeping gesture with his arm, and a huge crack formed in the earth, barely a foot behind his enemies._

_Using his momentum from his earlier move, Harry twirled in a circle, and unleashed a massive gust of wind that blew his attackers away and into the chasm he created, which immediately started to cave in._

“ _This ought to keep them busy enough,” Harry muttered as he picked up the stunned woman, and ran the rest of the way into the forest, where he found the others crouching behind a tree, catching their breath. Harry discovered to his delight, that they had entered the forest, right where he'd left his Bag. He asked Snape to pick up his Bag, and continued through the forest, cradling Narcissa in his arms._

“ _Shouldn't I revive Narcissa?” Snape asked Harry, while they hiked through the woods._

“ _Not yet, let's get out of this forest first. And please, leave me be, Snape, I've no interest in talking to a murderer.”_

_That stung Snape more than he had thought possible. In truth, he had only killed one person in his whole life, and that had been Albus Dumbledore, at the man's behest, no less. Before he had time to answer, Draco came to his defence._

“ _Dumbledore told Snape to do it so that I wouldn't have to, you bastard!”_

_Harry eyed Draco coldly, hating the fact his former schoolmate was probably right. Also, he and Gryffindor had come to the conclusion that Dumbledore would have died soon anyway, given the state of his arm, and the overall weakness he'd displayed, in his final weeks of life. Still, he was angry at Snape and Draco for their involvement. Snape spoke once more._

“ _If it came down to it, I was supposed to kill him, and spare Draco that fate. I did so, but unfortunately, the Dark Lord took a dim view of my interfering, as well as Draco's failure, so we went on the run, only to be caught, as you can plainly see.”_

“ _So you didn't do it to save your own life?” Harry asked. “I know about the Vow.”_

_Harry ignored their shocked looks and trekked on, eventually coming upon the road. They were out of the woods it seemed, literally and figuratively. Harry motioned for Snape to grab their wands from his coat pocket, and asked Snape to revive the woman he currently cradled in his arms._ _Snape did as requested and Narcissa slowly came to, blinking a few times before her piercing blue eyes focused on, and stared into the most striking emerald eyes she had ever seen, looking at her with concern. How long had it been since anyone had looked at her like that?_

_She became aware of the fact that she was resting in her saviour's arms. She found the heat radiating from his body strangely comforting. Without thinking, she put her arms around his neck, and he tightened his arms around her, just a little. It felt...nice._

_They stared into each other's eyes a moment longer, until she arched an amused eyebrow. The young man blushed lightly, before frowning darkly at her teasing. Even so, he very gently placed her on her feet, before backing away._ _Their brief moment over, Narcissa straightened her skirts and advanced on her rescuer with her hand extended in thanks. The young man's expression had changed to that of contempt, and Narcissa lowered her hand, disappointed. And slightly sad, she realized to her surprise._

“ _I may have saved you, but that does not mean we're friends. You, Narcissa, represent most of what I loathe in this world.” He turned to Draco. “And you allowed Tom Riddle his first real victory in this war. You disgust me. This time, you won't be able to fling your father's name around, will you? Hiding behind him like the bloody coward, that you are!”_

_Draco shrank away from the stranger, a look of shame clouding his features. Narcissa was seething with anger. No one had ever spoken to her in such a fashion before. She deserved to be treated with respect! She was a Malf... No... No more Malfoy business. That was done._ _Despite that, the purest wizard blood ran through her veins. She was a Black! Even the Malfoys were paupers, compared to her own family. In terms of wealth, the Blacks were conventionally spoken of in the same breath, as the Potters, Longbottoms and Bones, as well as Abbott, and the extinct McKinnons._

_While the Blacks had been Dark for a while, these other Houses had been firmly of the Light for centuries, but they were Most Ancient and Noble Houses one and all. And thus, she and any children born of her deserved every respect!_ _Taking a deep breath, she found she could overlook his lapse in decorum towards her, but his outburst toward Draco, could not go untended. He'd been through a traumatic experience, and did not need that man adding to it. She resisted the urge to grab her son, and looked at Harry with angry eyes, an uncharacteristic show of emotion._

“ _My son was tortured, and would have been murdered tomorrow! Is there no compassion, in that heart of yours?”_

_Harry stared at Narcissa Black, his gaze frosty and hard as a rock. Snape felt shivers down his spine and even Narcissa, strong as she was, swallowed, but quickly regained her usual, haughty expression, which seemed to enrage their rescuer. In the moonlight, Snape saw the man's emerald eyes shine brightly with anger as he stepped up to Narcissa, his face mere inches from hers._

_The man was a complete stranger and Snape was fairly certain he was not entirely human, but he'd recognize those emerald eyes anywhere, even if they looked alien. After all, Lily's eyes had been that exact colour, and he had only ever seen such eyes in one other person, but it could not be. Surely it was impossible._

“ _I will NOT be lectured on the merits of compassion, by the likes of **you** , Narcissa Malfoy!” Harry hissed. “I'd be surprised if you even understood the meaning of the word, compassion. You think I was harsh on your son? All I did was point out the truth, a truth anyone can see, plain as day. So he was tortured. What of it? It happens all the time, in war. And you, Narcissa, asking me to show compassion? Coming from you, any plea of such comes across as hypocritical, at best. How many parents lost their children, in the last war? How many children were made orphans, simply because their parents were Muggleborn? _

_Narcissa looked a little lost. “I don't...”_

“ _How many Houses were destroyed? The McKinnons mean anything to you? And how many of those deaths, can be attributed to your husband? And don't even get me started on that sister of yours. You remember Frank and Alice Longbottom? Your own sister did that, for revenge, and her own, twisted, sadistic pleasure. Killing them outright, would have been a mercy, both for them and for their son. So don't you dare speak to me about compassion!”_

_Narcissa's sharp and quick tongue was as venomous as any viper's, but this time, she was at a complete loss for words, an event neither Snape nor Draco had ever witnessed. Wide eyed, she stared at the young man in front of her, as if she could not believe what had happened._ _Most people backed away from her, if she as much as frowned their way. She had no experience in dealing with such an outburst. Her station in the wizarding world, ensured she was treated with the utmost respect._

_He had a point, though. She had always been saddened by the Longbottom's fate, as well as that of the McKinnons. They had been pureblood mages of the finest stock, after all. And of course, the young man was right, Bellatrix was quite insane. She saw the man turn towards the woods, his eyes narrowing. Snape grabbed Draco by the arm, and looked him in the eye._

“ _Draco, take your mother to 'that' place, I will join you shortly.”_

_Draco nodded, grabbed his mother's hand, and side along Apparated away. Snape walked up to his rescuer, and before Harry could do anything, his former teacher grabbed his arm, and they disappeared as well, reappearing a second later on a cliff, overlooking a field. Harry yanked his hand away from Snape, and glared at him, before shuddering violently._

“ _Bloody side-along Apparition... What's your game? What made you think I was willing to go anywhere with you?” Harry asked, annoyed. He turned and stormed away from Snape who cleared his throat._

“ _Harry Potter, get back here this instant!”_

_Harry's back stiffened and he stopped in his tracks. He turned to stare at Snape, who stared right back, a very serious expression on his tired face. How had old grease-hair figured out who he was? He had thought his identity safe, after all the changes to his body._

“ _Your eyes gave you away, Potter. I'd know your mother's eyes anywhere. Such brilliant green eyes are not so common, that yours don't stand out. You may be all but unrecognizable, but anyone who knows you well enough, will know it's you, simply by looking into your eyes.”_

_Harry looked at the sky, which was getting brighter as the dawn edged ever closer. He removed his hat, and ran a hand through his hair, before he sat down, his eyes looking east, toward the sunrise. He looked at his palm, and frowned. It was throbbing furiously, now that the adrenaline high had subsided._ _Ignoring all the signs of his apparent inhumanity, Snape walked over and sat down next to Harry, who gave him a tired glance, before fixing his attention on his hand, once again._

“ _Gaunt's ring was already killing the Headmaster, Potter, but I assume you already suspected that. He managed to destroy the Horcrux, but he was unable to resist the corruption they can bring about if you're not strong enough. Looks like you just barely held out. Riddle's diary, Gaunt's ring and the locket, that makes three, out of a theorized six, with himself being the seventh, correct?.”_

_Harry did not respond for a few minutes, wondering what to say. He found it unsettling, to be spoken to by Snape like this. No vitriol or scorn, or sneer of any kind. It went against the natural order of things. Discovering the earth was flat, would have made Harry less uncomfortable._

“ _Yes, I suppose it does.”_

“ _I must say, Potter, using our escape to hide your excursion into the Malfoy vault... Very Slytherin of you. That aside, this is a victory. Make sure you appreciate it, and use it to make you stronger.”_

_Snape sighed wearily. The boy was obviously in no mood to talk, but he was not about to let him go without a little chat. He understood how hard it was to operate alone, the toll it took on you, and how it could stay with you, even after you returned home._

“ _I understand why you decided to go after the Horcruxes by yourself, Potter and it's a noble thing, but fighting alone can be unbearable, even at the best of times. I was Dumbledore's man inside The Dark Lord's army for a part of the first war, and it nearly swallowed me whole. Remember your friends, Potter. They're the ones who will get you through this. Even if they're not here with you, keep them close.”_

_With that, Snape rose to his feet, and Harry followed suit. The two men looked at the sunrise together, side by side, neither uttering a word. After a few moments, Harry cleared his throat._

“ _You should take Draco and Narcissa, and reach out to the Order. You know they can and will protect you, if you would be willing to be questioned under Veritaserum. I'm aware you'd be fine on the run, on your own, and Narcissa strikes me as a very capable woman, but Draco won't last and you know it. I just hope the Order won't ask who rescued you.”_

“ _I doubt they are aware of our capture, so they'll have no reason to ask about any rescue,” Snape said. “I will take your advice under consideration. Tell me, if you don't mind, what are your plans, should you defeat the Dark Lord?”_

_Harry gave Snape a tired smile. He would not really go into any details, so telling Snape some of it would not really be such a bad thing._

“ _Well...”_

_000000_

_Severus Snape materialized in an alley, in front of an unassuming house in Coventry, about half an hour after he had sent Draco there, along with his mother. Since Spinner's End was compromised, they would have to stay here, for a time. At least, while they decided what to do. The former Hogwarts professor approached the house, and entered cautiously. He made his way into the kitchen to find Narcissa there, quietly sipping a glass of Firewhiskey._

_She spared Snape a tired glance, before she sipped a bit more of her drink. Snape was somewhat surprised, as Narcissa had always preferred Port. The events of the last few days had been very taxing, and he supposed she required something a tad stronger. He got himself a glass, and set about pouring himself one._

“ _I was beginning to wonder. I assume you had a little talk with our rescuer?”_

“ _Yes, I did. It was somewhat enlightening. Fascinating, even.”_

“ _Is that so? Pray tell, what did Potter have to say, that was so fascinating?”_

_Snape whirled around to stare at Narcissa, then cursed himself when he saw a sly smile appear on her face. She'd played him. She had obviously suspected who had saved them, and his reaction had confirmed it. Snape allowed a sigh to escape his lips, before he sat down at the table with his own drink in hand._ _He took a small sip, and felt the slight burn as he let the drink slide down his throat. Small sips, that was the key to drinking Firewhiskey. Too much at one time, and you'd have smoke shooting out of your ears. Narcissa cocked an eyebrow._

“ _Well?”_

“ _Where is Draco?”_

“ _Asleep, I gave him a Dreamless Sleep potion I found in your lab. Now, are you going to answer the question? And in case you where wondering, the eyes gave him away. I may only have met him once or twice, but I met his mother often enough, to recognize those eyes. I very much doubt even the strongest, most meticulous glamour spell, could hide those.”_

_Snape nodded at that.“Well, he wanted me to bring you his apology for his outburst. Once he calmed down, he decided it was unbecoming behaviour and unduly harsh. Especially since he doesn't know you at all. He stood by his words toward Draco, however. I suppose they were justified. Speaking of my godson, do you believe he recognized Potter?”_

_Narcissa brought her scotch to her lips and took a tiny sip. Potter had apologized. She was surprised, she had to admit. Judging by what her son had told her of the Potter boy, he was stubborn, and a bit hot headed. She would have guessed he was one to hold a grudge, but she was wrong, apparently. T_ _hat made her relieved and weirdly happy. Thinking of those arms of his, holding her as if she weighed nothing at all, cradling her to him, as if she was the most precious thing in the world made her shiver._

_Feeling a slight blush threatening to colour her cheeks, as she remembered his eyes on hers, she forced those thoughts from her mind and focused on Severus' question. She loved her son dearly, but he was as bright as a brick and about as subtle as a raging Minotaur. A bit of a coward as well, going by Potter's word. Using his father's shadow to hide in? She gave Severus a wry smile._

“ _Severus, I love my son, but he is a dull witted thug, so there's little danger of him making the connection. I sometimes wonder, how on earth he was ever sorted into Slytherin. He does not have an ounce of cunning in his body, nor is he brave enough to be a Gryffindor. In fact, I cannot see him embodying any of the traits treasured by Hufflepuff or Rawenclaw, either.”_

“ _He is ambitious enough,” Snape said._

“ _Well, he certainly is that, Severus,” Narcissa said coldly. “Perhaps enough to make him a Slytherin. However, ambition without wisdom, and cunning is dangerous, so perhaps it would be best if Draco refrained from trying his hand at any political manoeuvring, in the future.”_

_Snape stared at the woman in front of him. Never before had he heard Narcissa speak of her son in such a way. And the way she said it, and after all he'd been through... She was as cold as he'd ever seen her. What had brought this on, so suddenly?_

“ _Did you and Potter not speak of anything else?”_

“ _He did not go into any particulars, of course, but he said once he defeated the Dark Lord, he hoped to bring about an era of peace, acceptance, equality and fairness. Change, he called it. He said the wizarding world was so mired in archaic traditions, and lack of forward thinking, that it was a wonder there were any wizards left at all. Not to mention the 'pureblood nonsense', as he called it.”_

_Narcissa laughed at that. “Lofty goals, I must say.”_

“ _Indeed. It gets better. He also promised me he was going to drag the wizarding world into the twenty first century, kicking and screaming if he had to. The only problem with that plan, he said, was the fact that in order to bring us that far, he'd first have to drag us through the eighteenth and nineteenth and twentieth centuries first.” Snape said and chuckled slightly._

_Narcissa arched an eyebrow at the man's uncharacteristic behaviour before affording him a smile. She spied her empty glass and went over and grabbed the bottle from the kitchen counter, and brought it to the living room. Snape followed. She poured herself a stiff drink, before she sat down in a comfortable chair, and let out a deep sigh. She rubbed her temples, and looked over at Snape with an enigmatic smile on her face._

“ _He's not wrong, Severus.”_

“ _I'm aware.”_

_Narcissa gave a wry chuckle. Of course Severus was aware, any mage worth their salt knew they stood at a crossroads. One way led to prosperity and the advancement of their society. The other led to death, destruction and the utter ruin of their world._ _Add to that the fact the Muggles were leaving them behind, completely. If the stories were true, they had landed on the moon, over thirty years ago. The bloody_ moon _, for Merlin's sake! The only question was; how much further apart would the two worlds grow, before her own found its way to modern times?_

“ _The last few days have given me a lot to think about, Severus and this night in particular. I have reflected on my life and I must admit, given recent developments with my contracted spouse, that I made a mistake not divorcing Mr. Malfoy twenty years ago. It might not have been safe to do so at that moment in time, but I really should have left him, when that 'Lord' of his was vanquished the first time. It might have taken a bit of work by solicitors to breach the marriage contract, but I'm certain it could have been done.”_

“ _You'd do it now, then?”_

“ _There's a chance now. You are aware, that there was no public reading of my cousin Sirius' will, but I know young Mr. Potter was declared his sole heir and as such, he can void my marriage to Mr. Malfoy. Sirius might not have cared overly much about his House, but he would've never risked the Black fortune finding its way into the hands of Draco, and by extension, his father. And we both know to whom he would have given it to.”_

_Snape looked at the beautiful woman on the other side of the coffee table warily. He knew exactly where she was going with this conversation, and he found it very interesting. She had just been through a lot in a short time, but these musings of hers were obviously not newly conceived. Neither were these the ramblings of a person in shock. They were careful considerations of a woman, who was obviously plotting something, and by Merlin, could the woman plot._

_Lucius Malfoy was a cunning devil, to be sure, but Narcissa, well, she could topple nations in her sleep, if she put her mind to it. Too bad for Lucius he was too arrogant and foolish to ever realize it, that he viewed his wife as nothing more than a trophy._ _The fool man. Blacks had long been known for their cunning, as well as their intellect. Some of them were also extremely powerful magicals. Narcissa brought her glass to her lips, before continuing._

“ _If Potter is planning to change the wizarding world, he'll need all the support he can get. He will especially need the help of someone, who understands and can navigate the shark infested waters of the Wizengamot, and trust me, once this war is over, it's going to be even worse, than it was before all this.”_

_Snape took a sip of his glass. “What is it you intend to do?”_

“ _If he will have me, I intend to be there for my Head of House, Severus. Not only did he save mine and Draco's lives, but he was absolutely correct. I know what my husband has done in the service of that madman, and I did nothing. I had some misgivings about it, but I was so comfortable, I was willing to ignore my better judgement, if it made certain I would retain my place in pureblood society.”_

_Narcissa took another ship of her whiskey. “No more. If nothing changes in our world, we will be fighting a war every generation, until there are no wizards left. You know there's only a matter of time, before the rest of the beings in the magical world band together, and attack us wizards, regardless of status. When that happens, we stand no chance whatsoever. You will contact the Order of the Phoenix as soon as possible, and convince them to protect us. There's only so much I can do on the run, after all.”_

“ _About the Black heir... If Lucius got his hands on Draco again, could he have the boy challenge Potter for the Headship of House Black?” Snape asked._

_Narcissa shook her head. “No. Lucius meant to try, but I advised him against it. It seems Sirius knew what he was doing. Mr. Potter has a legitimate claim, through blood. Dorea Black was the sister of my great grandfather, Cygnus Black the second. She married Charlus Potter, Mr. Potter's great, great grandfather. Potter's claim is more distant than Draco's claim through me, but it matters not. Blood is blood. I suppose Mr. Potter knows all this?”_

_Snape shook his head. “I'd be surprised if he knows of any of it, actually. He was raised by Muggles, and I don't think Dumbledore educated him at all on these matters, which I confess I always found somewhat odd. I may have been his most trusted confidant, but he kept many things, even from me.”_

_A thoughtful frown lined Narcissa's face. “I shall have to teach him, then.”_

_Snape merely nodded. Inside however, he was grinning. Narcissa was already working toward securing her position in this new world Potter envisioned. He knew she would have little trouble establishing herself into his confidence, should he accept her offer of help._ _However, judging by the way she had looked at Potter earlier and unsuccessfully tried to hide her relief and subsequent blush when he delivered the young man's apology, there was something more driving her, but the very idea it implied was preposterous. Still, this merited further observation, Snape decided as he quietly sipped his drink._

“ _Draco will need to be Obliviated, Narcissa. What Potter did at the manor, must never be discovered by the Dark Lord.”_

“ _Already done, Severus,” Narcissa said coldly. “Do not assume I do not know my son. I am well aware he cannot keep a secret to save his life.” Snape nodded and the room went silent as both occupants wondered, just what the coming months held in store._


	5. VI

VI

Harry started awake, his hand gingerly pressing against his ribs, as he rose from the chair. He'd fallen asleep during his meditation, which he had spent in his memories, something he was doing more and more, these days. With the memory of his hunt for Slytherin's locket fresh in his mind, he walked over to the table where he kept the Horcruxes, rubbing his right palm as he went. A locket and a cup. He was still missing one, Ravenclaw's diadem.

Heading to Gryffindor's study, Harry decided to take a little detour into the dining hall, a fancy room he'd only been in once before. It was furnished with a long mahogany table, high backed chairs and a pair of _very_ nice chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and a big fireplace opposite the door to keep the room warm and cozy. Above the fireplace hung a big painting, featuring four people in their prime. From left to right; Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and finally Slytherin.

Harry glanced at the painting, his mind wandering to Gryffindor. To be sure, he missed the old man something fierce. They'd become more than just mentor and pupil; they'd become friends. Walking past the fireplace, Harry came upon the right hand wall, which was practically littered with portraits of various people.

Walking slowly along the wall, Harry found the painting he was looking for; a painting of Rowena and her daughter Helena. Ravenclaw was wearing her diadem, which seemed to enhance her already staggering beauty. Helena was as beautiful as her mother, although she did lack her mother's mature grace.

Harry stared at Helena for a good, long while. Why was she so familiar? Had he seen her picture somewhere before? At Hogwarts? No, that wasn't it, he was sure. Still, the feeling was there, gnawing at his brain. Oh well. Harry limped away, but when he was at the door, he saw a torch outside the room, casting a somewhat ghostly light upon the wall.

Harry stared at it, and he could almost feel the gears in his head fall into place. He went back the picture and had his revelation confirmed. The Grey Lady... Ravenclaw's house ghost was Rowena's daughter!? Harry stared at the painting a while longer, very annoyed with himself for not paying more attention to the ghosts of Hogwarts, and for not figuring this out earlier. Well, to be fair, the Grey Lady was even less sociable than the Bloody Baron, so...

He had known for some time, that he was Hogwarts bound and really, it changed nothing, knowing Helena was, in fact at Hogwarts. While he knew the ghost could shed light on the events of the diadem's disappearance, there was little chance of her knowing, where it was now, almost a millennia later.

He had no idea how long she had wandered the halls of Hogwarts, but he was fairly certain the founders had left this life behind, before she found her way to the school. Harry knew Gryffindor would have told him about her, otherwise.

Harry went to his room, utterly exhausted. The pain was returning with a vengeance and his thigh throbbed angrily. He stared at his wounded thigh for a minute, his thoughts returning to the village from earlier. He had been avoiding thinking about this, trying to focus on healing and the Horcruxes. It would not do. They knew what he looked like, obviously. Well, they had known ever since he raided Malfoy manor all those months ago.

Harry had been a thorn in Riddle's side for years, of course, but ever since that night at Malfoy manor, Harry had really been prickling his nemesis bloody. He'd interrupted several raids by Death Eaters and more than once, he'd caught a few and left them for the Order to find. He was playing with fire, he knew, as some of the raids had obviously been meant as a trap and at least once, aside from this battle, he had been lucky not to get overwhelmed.

Still, Riddle had only appeared before him once and their very recent battle had been a close one, and the Snake had fled the field. He'd had a bit of a tumble with Bellatrix Black some time ago, as well. One of only six from Riddle's inner circle he'd come into contact with, and three of those were dead. Harry rubbed the back of his head absent mindedly. The thought of Bellatrix brought about a dull throb. It was always there, that little tingle. He could ignore it, if he did not think of Bella, but sometimes it was unavoidable.

Almost every time Harry had thwarted a Death Eater raid, he had arrived on the scene ahead of his enemies, because of Fawkes' warnings. Harry had not seen Fawkes since the Phoenix had brought him here, to Gryffindor's stronghold. The warnings came to him in his sleep.

Harry had, at first questioned the bird's ability to obtain this information, but soon stopped, as he had found Fawke's visions and warnings to be sound. That was not to say Fawkes was always on time. He'd been late on a few occasions, people had been taken, killed or worse. Harry lay down, the scars on his back tugging ever so slightly as he did. He traced a scar above his cheekbone absent mindedly with one finger...

000000

_Harry stirred the small cauldron three times clockwise, and four times counter-clockwise, making sure he got it exactly right. This healing potion seemed to be a good idea, assuming he got it right. He had never been good with potions, and despite his newfound powers and all the knowledge passed on to him by Gryffindor, he still was no good at it. Come to think of it, why hadn't they brewed some potions while he was training?_

_To make himself feel a little better, he decided Gryffindor had also been no good at potions. It nearly worked, too. Harry made sure the heat was at the right temperature and left the cauldron alone, for now. Boil four three hours, then stir four times clockwise, and three times counter-clockwise, then simmer for six hours. Harry sighed. Damn potions were absolutely not his thing._

_He walked over to another table and picked up Slytherin's locket, turning it around in his hand. It was early October. Nearly four months had passed since his raid on the Malfoy house. It had been a taxing night. His first fight using his new powers, and it had gone well; he'd been quick and decisive. He'd managed to find and destroy the Horcrux in the locket, and even saved Snape and Draco._

_And Narcissa._

_The stunningly beautiful and majestic Narcissa. If he wasn't thinking about the Horcruxes or Tom Riddle, he was thinking of her. Indeed, they had shared a bit of a moment the night he'd saved her, but how the hell had a woman he had met no more than twice, managed to lodge herself so completely onto his mind?_

_It made even less sense, than a grown man not being able to pronounce the word telephone. (Arthur Weasley and his fellyfones). She was Draco's mum and not to mention the wife of Lucius Malfoy. Former wife, he suspected, if she had anything to say about it. He could not understand, nor would he be able to solve this particular riddle, unless he met with the woman and spoke with her._

_Forcing the blue eyed beauty from his mind, he kept staring at the blasted necklace. He'd gotten nowhere on either Hufflepuff's cup, nor Rowena's diadem. He'd kept himself busy, though. He brewed potions, trained with his sword and practised his meditation._

_He had managed to end several Death Eater attacks. A week ago, he had thwarted an attack on a small Muggle farm. Fawkes had sent him a vision, a dream of sorts. Harry had set out at once, arriving just in time to intercept the raid in a field, before the Muggles ever saw the Death Eaters._

_Only two of them, that time, so Harry had knocked them out and Apparated to Diagon Alley. Once there, he left an anonymous note on an Auror's table at the Leaky Cauldron. He returned to the field at a safe distance and sure enough, a little later, a squad of Aurors came to take the Death Eaters away._

_Harry kept staring at the necklace, his gaze a little desperate. Despite what he'd told Gryffindor, he was leaning more and more toward the idea of trying to enter Riddle's mind, to try and ferret out the location of the other two Horcruxes. He knew it was dangerous, but his mental fortitude was much greater than it once was._

_Harry paced the room all afternoon, while he was finishing the potion, trying to predict any and all possible situations he might find himself in, should he open his connection with Riddle, once more. But he was truly desperate._

_By the time Harry had bottled the potion, he had reached a decision. He was going to at least open the connection to Riddle's mind that night, and try to measure the other man's defences. He'd have a go at it after midnight. Surely, Riddle had to sleep sometime?_

_That night, Harry sat down in the lotus position on the floor of the basement, in front of the small fireplace. He closed his eyes and let his mind wander for a little while, to relax himself. Some time later, Harry decided to take the plunge. He removed the blocks that closed of his mind, and opened his connection to Riddle._

_Harry found it at once. He also found it completely blocked on the other side. Harry probed a little, but soon gave up and retreated back to his own mind, closing it off. He was not skilled at Legilimency at all, and he had no way of sneaking past Riddle's defences, without alerting the other man to his presence._

_Over the next several nights, Harry would probe Riddle's mind and each night, he found it completely sealed off. By the fourth night, however, something had changed. Harry found Riddle's defences down, completely faded away for some reason._

_He instinctively held back, fearing it was a trap. A second later, Harry advanced again in small steps. As soon as he entered, he saw old memories, memories of some of the events he'd seen before, during his meetings with Dumbledore. Harry gently focused on Hufflepuff's cup, trying to force his mind into other places in Riddle's mind. He had to be careful, however. If he was too forceful, Riddle would surely discover his presence, and retaliate._

_Suddenly, Riddle's mind was flooded with thoughts of Bellatrix Lestrange, images of her face, a somewhat peculiar look in her eyes. A brand new image flashed across the bastard's mind. Harry's face turned deep crimson, and he almost gagged. It had become very clear, why Riddle's defences were down._

_Oh, this was fantastic. He'd be stuck with this image in his head forever; Riddle was having sex. With Bellatrix. Right. Now. There was no way to unsee this, damn it. No better way to end the day, than to watch a psychopath have sex with an even worse psychopath. Fucking hell... He'd probably dream about it, when he went to bed, too..._

_Harry did note, however, that there was no feeling of joy, of affection of any kind from his nemesis. This was simply a pleasing distraction, a way to sate the needs of the flesh, nothing more. The look on Bellatrix's face spoke volumes on her feelings, though. Harry did keep coming back to a strange look in her eyes, however. He could not put a finger on, what he found strange about it. Deciding he'd had, enough of the show, he moved on._

_Harry again focused his mind on the cup, and gradually found an image of a younger Bellatrix. The young woman was holding a finely crafted silver cup in her hands, a look of immense pride on her face. Like a dog that's been given a pat on the head, by its master. Disturbing, really. She curtsied, before Riddle Apparated away. Harry's mind was racing, and he very nearly did not notice the way Riddle's mind was calming itself._

_Wait, that was it? He himself had no experience with these things, but surely, that had been rather quick. Then, just as Harry was preparing to leave, Riddle's mental defences were coming back in force. In a panic, Harry rushed for the exit, just about getting there, before the walls slammed shut. He did not relish the idea of being stuck in there, with that man._

_Harry's eyes flew open, and he was panting with the effort it took to rush back to his own mind. He was never doing that again, that was for certain. Once he had calmed down a little, he had the presence of mind to digest what he had seen. Bellatrix had the cup, or at least she had, at one point. Knowing her infatuation with Riddle, she would have guarded the thing better than her own life. And where was the safest place, to keep such valuable things? Gringotts, obviously._

_Harry stood in front of the fireplace, his chin resting in the palm of his hand. It made sense, seeing how the place was impregnable, or so they said. That wasn't factually true, however. Quirrell had broken into vault 713, the summer before his first year at Hogwarts. He was also absolutely sure Riddle had not told even his most trusted servant anything, regarding the true nature of the cup. The fewer people that knew, the safer the secret was, after all._

_Getting into Gringotts might prove problematic. Not only that, he had no idea which vault belonged to Bellatrix. Such information was not readily available, of course. The only feasible way he saw to go about finding that information was getting a hold of a Gringotts employee and ask them. Harry ran a hand through his hair. He was starting on a slippery slope, that was for certain. He'd try to talk to whomever he got his eye on, but if that did not work? Kidnapping?_

_Whas that something he was ready to do? He could try and use Legilimency, and forcefully take the information he needed, but the very idea left a bad taste in his mouth. Sure, he'd done it just now, but that had been Riddle's mind, and that did not count. Harry shuddered as an image flashed across his mind. Bellatrix's legs wrapped around... Harry sighed. Seared onto his brain, forever..._

_The young man sat down in a chair in front of the fire, his mind working in overdrive. He would always need the help of a Gringotts goblin to get into the vault. If it was as well fortified as the stories would have you believe, he had no chance of getting in there, without making a huge mess. And as always, this whole thing relied on Riddle not getting any wiser on his activities._

000000

_Four days later, Harry was standing across the street from Gringotts, carefully watching the place. He was wearing his cap, a hoodie, a short jacket, jeans and trainers. Soon, after beginning his quest, he had realized, that his other outfit was too eye-catching to be wearing it all the time, especially for several days in a row outside a bank. This was the third day he was staking out the bank, noting comings and goings, alternating between points of view fairly frequently, so as not to raise suspicion._

_He already had an idea of who he was going to approach for help. Harry's mouth quirked in a small, but sarcastic grin. Help, huh? That implied the other person would be a willing participant in this whole thing... The person Harry had in mind, was a goblin named Griphook._

_Harry remembered having met the goblin, during his first visit to Gringotts, when he went to withdraw from his vault for the first time, along with Hagrid. Harry rubbed his chin. They also went to vault 713 that time and Harry fervently hoped Bellatrix's vault did not lie that deeply in the ground. (They became more and more secure the further down you went.)_

_It was four o'clock and Harry watched on as Griphook left for home, which was located at the upper end of Diagon Alley. Harry found it somewhat odd that a goblin would choose to live in such close proximity to wizards. Most goblins lived in isolated communities, mostly wanting to be left alone. Little wonder, that, to be honest._

_Why would a goblin want to help him, a wizard? In fact, why would any magical being want to help wizards, period? Harry wondered, as he slowly followed Griphook around Diagon Alley. Almost all magical beings had been marginalized by wizardkind's apparent superiority complex, which was so wonderfully underscored in the very atrium of the Ministry, by that stupid Fountain of Magical Brethren._

_Outdated and ridiculous in Harry's eyes. It wasn't the Middle Ages any more, for Merlin's sake. While goblins likely had too much at stake, to take sides in the war, most other beings would be more open to Riddle's influence. The giants had already pledged their allegiance to him, despite fairly little activity from them. Some werewolves had done so as well, namely Fenrir Greyback. Perhaps the vampires might be swayed his way, as well?_

_All those beings could be bent, by glittering promises of better times. There was no way Snakey would ever keep those promises, of course. He viewed all sentient beings, other than pureblood wizards with utter disdain. The fact that any being was willing to join him, was a testament to how badly they were being treated, and how desperate they were for change. Well, he wasn't going to be fixing any of that today, and he should focus on his little goblin friend, who was currently unlocking his front door._

_Harry approached the door, and knocked sharply. A few moments went by, before Griphook answered the door, a somewhat annoyed look on his gnarly face, and his long nose twitched irritably. Before Harry could say anything, the old goblin motioned for Harry to step inside, before he closed the door, and locked it tight. The goblin turned around, and led Harry to a small living room._

_While the house was not specifically built for goblins, it was furnished for a goblin's much smaller stature. (They rarely topped 48 inches). The living room had a very nice sofa, and two stuffed chairs that looked very comfortable, and a single oversized chair, obviously meant for big people like Harry. Griphook motioned for Harry to take a seat, before sitting down himself. They looked at one another for several moments, before the old Goblin broke the ice;_

“ _What brings you to my door, Harry Potter?”_

_Harry's eyes went wide with shock and alarm. He knew who he was? They'd only met once, when he was eleven years old! Also, his physical changes... The goblin smiled in satisfaction, his eyes twinkling. He always enjoyed, putting one over the arrogant wizards._

“ _I saw you outside the bank, two days ago and I expected you to make your move sooner. It's obvious you intend some mischief, within Gringotts, Mr. Potter. I notice by your expression, that you did not expect me to recognize you. Well, goblins are highly perceptive, and we can always spot fakes, whether they be objects or people, so I immediately recognised you. Besides, you are dreadfully clumsy when following people. You need not worry, however. Your identity is safe with me.”_

_Harry relaxed and leaned back, his hands resting on the arms of the chair. There was no point in trying to lie to Griphook, that was certain. Harry also felt he could trust Griphook's promise to keep his word, the goblin's sincerity was quite obvious, his heartbeat also stayed regular,._

“ _I need access to Bellatrix Lestrange's vault. There's something stored there, something vital to the defeat of Voldemort. Will you help me get it?”_

_The goblin looked at Harry, taking his time to answer. The Boy Who Lived was sitting in his living room, though he did not look much like a human any more. At least not to any goblin, who really looked at him. He wanted into the Lestrange vault, which Griphook found very interesting indeed._

_He remembered every little thing, the vault had contained. He had been the one to catalogue the contents, after all. He kept silent for a few moments longer, before deciding he had played that game long enough. He would help the lad, certainly, as the world under Voldemort would surely be like jumping from the frying pan, into the fire._

“ _I will help you,” he said. “Goblins hold no love for wizards, as you are well aware. I stress, however; you ask much of me, Mr. Potter and I will set you a big task, in return. I want you to use whatever influence you can muster, to bring about fairness and tolerance for all the races under the sun, once this is all over.”_

_Harry's eyes widened a little bit, but he curbed his reaction. This was actually a great thing, he decided, and strangely in tune with what he wanted for his world. And if he could convince the goblin race to help him once this was all over, his chances of actually making a difference were that much greater. Still, he didn't want to be overconfident._

“ _I accept your terms, Griphook, but you understand I'm just one man, practically a kid. People may not listen to me.”_

_The goblin smiled wryly. “Of course. Please understand, I'm not asking you to solve the problem over night, young Mr. Potter, but I must say, you underestimate yourself. The man who defeats Voldemort will surely have great power, among his peers.”_

“ _I will try, Griphook. You have my word,” Harry said solemnly._

“ _I thought you would. Now, onto the matter at hand. The Lestrange vault is empty, Mr. Potter. Now, before you get all rowdy, let me finish. Its contents, money and all, was seized by the Ministry in January 1996, on the very day of the mass Death Eater escape from Azkaban. It was put in a secure storage unit, on the second floor of the Ministry. I assume you know what the second floor is?”_

_Harry nodded, he did know. 'Department of Magical Law Enforcement.' Harry rubbed his face tiredly. How was he supposed to get in there? He could not possibly go in there, and steal the cup, without being seen. Nor could he grab a hair on some Auror's shoulder, and morph into that person via the Polyjuice potion._

_That potion was way beyond him. Even if Hermione had managed to brew it in their second year. Then again, she wasn't referred to as 'the brightest witch of her generation' ,for nothing. He was brought back to the realm of the living, by Griphook's clearing of his throat._

“ _Why only the Lestrange vault? They were not the only ones who escaped, after all.”_

“ _I do not know, Mr. Potter. The Ministry is not in the habit of explaining their actions to us goblins. May I ask what it is, you seek?”_

“ _Hufflepuff's cup,” Harry replied._

“ _Ah, yes, I remember it well. While Hufflepuff may have enchanted it, the cup is actually of goblin make. As are Gryffindor's sword, Ravenclaw's diadem, and Slytherin's locket. You seem surprised. It seems to be rooted in legend, that the Founders themselves created these things, but I assure you, us goblins never forget what we build, least of all such finely crafted items._

_Now, here's what I propose we do. I know of a goblin, who can create an exact replica of the cup. Don't worry, we can count on his discretion. I will go to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, gain access into the storage unit, and replace the original with the fake. Should be easy enough, the department is stretched thin, these days, as you can imagine.”_

_At that point the goblin let out a long sigh. “They are still reeling from the death of director Bones. And that fool Pius Thicknesse, is no Amelia Bones, let me tell you. The fact he was appointed as the head of DMLE, by the late Rufus Scrimgeour makes no sense. And now the oaf is Minister? It would certainly not surprise me, to learn Voldemort had his claws in that man's hide. And his cronies, Dolores Umbridge and Yaxley, certainly fit the Death Eater mould. And then there's the whole Snatcher business. These are grim times, Mr. Potter.”_

_Bloody Snatchers. Harry had recently learned that Fenrir Greyback was the leader of that little group. Looking down, the young man sighed deeply. He had nearly forgotten about Madam Bones' murder. Riddle himself, had killed the director in the summer of '96. Amelia had been a strict, but fair witch. He recalled as much from that farce of a trial, at courtroom ten. Poor Susan Bones, she was all alone, now. The last of the Bones'._

_Harry shared Griphook's concern over the ministry. He had come to that same conclusion some time ago, when he realized he was capturing the same bloody Death Eaters again and again. He was becoming tired of it, and was seriously starting to doubt his methods._

_But that was a worry for another day. Right now, there was another issue that needed tending to. Wait, what had Griphook said about retrieving the cup? Harry looked back up, and stared at Griphook in alarm. There was no way he would allow the goblin to put himself in such a precarious position._

“ _No! Griphook, I cannot allow-”_

“ _I do not recall asking your permission, Mr. Potter,” Griphook interrupted tartly. “This fight against that usurper, is on all of us, and I will do my part. Now, the hour grows late and I must ask you to leave. I will be entertaining guests shortly. Return here in two weeks, and I shall have everything ready for our little excursion.”_

“ _You must be careful, Griphook. Never touch the thing with your bare hands. It's extremely dangerous.”_

“ _I quite know how to handle enchanted artefacts, thank you Mr. Potter.”_

_And with that, Griphook ushered Harry out of his home, and into the street. Harry put his hands in his pockets and walked over to the Leaky Cauldron. He had taken a room at the inn, not wanting to Apparate back to Gryffindor's place every night._

_He was exhausted, for some reason, so he went straight to his room, not bothering with supper. The common room was full of people anyway, and he avoided crowds like the plague. He threw himself onto the bed, and stared at the ceiling._

_As he lay on the bed, he wondered what his friends were doing at that very moment. Most likely working for the Order. Once this was all over, his friends would try to find their calling in life. He himself had wanted to become an Auror._

_The Aurors only ever accepted those, whose NEWT scores on the required classes were Outstanding. He fondly remembered that time, when Professor McGonagall had argued quite strongly with that bloody Toad, whether or not he had it in him to become a member of the Aurors._

_He knew most of his friends would have passed with great success; they were brilliant, in their own way. Harry imagined Hermione might want to teach, and she'd be fantastic, if she managed to add a little flair to her 'by the book' way of thinking of things. Eventually, he knew she'd try her hand at politics._

_Ron would probably try and become Auror, once this was all over. He had the potential to be good at it, too, Harry thought. He'd have to overcome his laziness, though. Neville would obviously be meaning to advance his knowledge of herbs. Really good at that, Neville was. Harry could see him becoming the next Herbology professor, at Hogwarts, once Sprout retired._

_Luna would take over the Quibbler; there was no other thing Harry could see her do, even if she could do whatever she wanted, she was that smart. She had it in her to give Hermione a run for her galleons, Harry knew._

_And Ginny... Ginny would be at Hogwarts by now, having started her seventh and last year, several weeks ago. Rather forcefully, Harry put her out of his mind. It was too depressing to think of her, even now, after all those months._

_As Harry found himself slowly falling asleep, his thoughts wandered over to his aunt Petunia. She had been popping up in his mind at the strangest times, over the last few months. He wondered how she had reacted to his disappearance, for one thing. Vernon had to have been elated, to be rid of him. He'd been waiting anxiously for the day Harry turned seventeen. While Dudley had been somewhat nicer to him, after that Dementor fiasco, they would never be friends, Harry knew. Too much bad blood._

_That left his aunt. He was a bit older now, and his time away from that house had afforded him a new perspective. He had scoured his memories of his aunt, and reached the conclusion that she had never loved her husband. At the very least, she certainly had never been happy. He could understand why; the man was a boorish thug._

_Harry was also sure his aunt had envied his mother's magical talents, remembering the time when Petunia had told him about the day her sister had received her letter. At the time he had thought her remarks filled resentment, and scorn, but now, he believed they had been laced with sorrow, and a bit of envy. Harry drifted to sleep shortly after, his dreams centred around the family at NR. Four Privet Drive._

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_It was the day before Harry was to meet Griphook. He was walking along the banks of the River Thames, his Bag on his shoulder, when a gust of wind blew his way. Harry took several whiffs of the air, a peculiar scent filling his nostrils. A wet dog? No, this was something else. It was coming from the port, some distance away. Shrugging, Harry eventually found his way to the Leaky Cauldron, and took a room._

_He'd been careful to mostly sleep in Muggle hotels, since he started this quest, because the client base at the Cauldron was not large enough, that his staying often at the inn would remain unknown to anyone looking closely enough. He only stayed at the inn, every few weeks, and if Tom the barkeep suspected anything, he most likely would not say anything._

_Oh, and the entertainment was so much better in Muggle hotels. He'd been catching up on all sorts of things, such as music and films._

_It was past midnight, and Harry paced the room. Why was he so hung up on this smell? He could not forget it, nor put out of his mind. A strong, foreboding feeling troubled his mind that evening. Sighing, Harry put his Bag on the table, and pulled out of it his long coat, the boots and a shirt. Once dressed, he removed his sword from the Bag, and strapped it onto his back, under the coat. He perked his ears and heard only the steady breathing of a few sleeping people, and a few loud fellows, down in the common room._

_Harry crammed his cap on his head, and quit the room. He made his way to a window overlooking the Muggle front of the inn, and peeked outside. Once he was certain no one was looking, he opened the window, and dropped down. He willed a trickle of air onto the window, which promptly closed._ _Harry quickly headed towards the port, and he picked up the scent in short order, stronger than before, with several variations this time. For some reason, it was giving him goosebumps and he felt his stomach clench a little. Fear? He did not understand. He would, though, soon enough._

_Eventually, Harry entered an older section of the port of London, and immediately picked up a pair of voices, drifting his way on the wind._

“ _You think he's going to top the poor fellow?”_

“ _Who knows, mate. We all know how jumpy the boss gets, after the full moon. I guess in his eyes, the poor bastard betrayed his own kind, so...”_

_Harry found a cold sweat run down his spine. The full moon? Werewolves, that's what the smell was. He darted between containers, keeping to the shadows. With a sickening feeling, Harry stopped behind one of the containers, his eyes looking for the moon. It was just a tiny curve of white, on the night sky. There was a good chance Fenrir Greyback was here this evening._

_The thought turned Harry's stomach to mush, his fear rising with each breath. The fact the full moon was such a long time away did ease Harry's fears somewhat, as the insane Greyback, should be at his weakest._

_He silently advanced, and peaked around the corner and saw a pair of men with red markings on their arms. Snatchers. He quickly and silently dispatched the two fellows and locked them in a container. He was not gentle._

_He remembered Greyback clearly, the savage face and the unbridled brutality. The man, no the **monster** revelled in death and carnage. It **ate** people, for Heaven's sake. An image of a badly injured Bill Weasley, crossed Harry's mind as he came upon an old, abandoned warehouse, filling the young man with a rage he quickly tried to subdue, to limited success. _

_Harry climbed a stack of containers, and jumped across to the roof of the building. Unable to muster his Occlumency and subdue his anger, he had worked himself into a bitter fury, his teeth gnashing. People like Greyback always seemed to think they could do whatever they wanted, through sheer strength._

_Harry's train of thought was interrupted by the pungent smell of blood, combined with a familiar scent. It stopped him cold. No, no, no. There had to be a mistake, his mind, the fear and anger were surely playing tricks on him. Harry found a skylight, which he opened, and silently dropped onto a walkway, high above the floor. The source of the familiar scent could be found below._

_Remus Lupin was tied to a chair and Greyback punched him in the face, a spray of blood flying to the floor, which was already a sea of red. Harry simply stood there and stared for a minute, unable to move. Eventually, he took a deep breath, and scanned his surroundings carefully._

_Two men outside, already dealt with, and six inside. Eight in total. He saw three of them on the walkway beneath him. Greyback and two others, a man and a woman took turns on Lupin, who remained silent, aside from grunts of pain. Harry silently removed his coat, hardened his resolve, and got going..._

000000

“ _Where is the Potter kid? Where!” Greyback screamed._

_Lupin stared back defiantly, and said nothing, only spat blood at Greyback's feet. He would not give the bastard anything, and they had been at this for some time, now. Lupin was surprised at Greyback's restraint, surely the psychotic bastard wanted to kill him. The truth of it was, of course, that Lupin didn't know where Harry was. No one did._

_They didn't even know if he was still alive, although some believed Harry to be the vigilante that had been roaming the country, for the past few months. Which was utterly insane and ridiculous, of course. The Order had searched for the missing teen, exhausted every possibility._

_It had been very subtle, however, since they had surmised the uncertainty seemed to be keeping Voldemort in check. Partly, at least. There was something else going on with the snake, something that had to do with his failed attempt to possess Harry, back in the Department of Mysteries._

_Lupin missed the lad terribly. Harry had been shaping up to become such a good man, and it had always been comforting to Lupin, how much Harry reminded him of James and Lily. While the boy was almost the perfect physical copy of his father, he had his mother's eyes and her compassion. And her temper, of course. Unlike his father, however, Harry was completely devoid of anything resembling arrogance, even if Snape refused to see it._

_While the very ancient Potter clan, had never put much stock in the old ways of Pureblood society, James had been raised in it and had reflected that, to a degree. Lupin had always felt his friend had been a great man, but James, much like Sirius, had been possessed of an arrogant streak that had prevented both men from becoming all they could have been._

_Not bigoted by any means, but somewhat entitled, as Pureblood scions tended to be. James had rid himself of it for the most part, by their seventh year and once he finally got together with Lily, she had managed to mould Prongs into a young man every mother would be proud of._

_Greyback released an angry roar, and slammed his fist into Lupin's stomach. Lupin's eyes closed, as he doubled over in pain. Greyback was finally starting to lose his patience and Lupin slumped against the restraints, gritting his teeth as he blinked away the tears. This was it, then, for Remus Lupin. He'd never see Tonks again. They had been married for less than a year._

_He had gone out on a mission for the Order, something big was happening in the werewolf community, but it had turned out to be a trap. It had only been several hours since he left, so Tonks would not worry for a while yet, as it was not uncommon for Order members to be away, for days at a time. Greyback interrupted his thoughts, by giving him a backhanded blow, which caused the chair to fall over._

_Lupin's eyes flew open as he fell and he saw something. Had Greyback and his cronies not been so intensely focused on him, they would have noticed the man skulking around the walkway above them, dispatching the guards as he went along._

_When the man dropped the last guard, Lupin closed his eyes and smiled. That did not sit well with Greyback, who grabbed his prisoner and yanked him up. He brought his face within an inch of Lupin's, and the monster stared him in the face. The look turned Lupin cold; there was murder in those eyes._

“ _What are you smiling about, you pathetic fool?” Greyback snarled. “Don't you realize this is the end of the line? My face will be the last thing you see in this life.”_

_And with that, Greyback drew his hand back, but as he prepared to strike the killing blow, a cough stayed his hand. He and his henchmen whipped around, to find a man standing behind them. He stepped forward and some kind of fireballs ignited in his hands._

000000

_Harry stared at the people in front of him, shaking with anger. It was all he could do to remain calm, as he held a pair of fireballs in his hands, but he dared not throw them right now, lest he hit Lupin. Harry took a deep breath and let the fire dissolve in his hands. Perhaps, he could resolve this without further violence. There was little chance of it, Harry knew, but he wasn't sure he could fight all three of them, and keep Lupin safe at the same time._

“ _Evening, Greyback. I hate to intrude on your fun, but I'd like you to hand over that man. He's had enough, don't you think?”_

_Lupin stared at the young man with fascination. At over six feet tall, he was standing face to face with one of the most dangerous men in the world, and he did not back down an inch, his confidence and power apparent. He was obviously a wizard, but he did not have a wand, so how had he produced those fireballs?_

_And was that the hilt of a sword, peeking out from behind his head? Lupin watched on as Greyback stared at the newcomer, while the other two moved to either side. The young man seemed unconcerned, his focus solely on Greyback, who seemed nervous. The vigilante took another step forward, his palms facing his enemy. Greyback actually stepped back, teeth bared in a silent snarl._

“ _Just give him to me, and there will be no need for further violence. Be reasonable, Greyback. I have already taken care of all your men, aside from these two, and yourself.”_

_Yes, there was no doubt about it, Greyback was afraid. Of course this was the man who had been wreaking havoc lately, and he'd hit the Snatchers hard. The lad was very imposing, and an obvious alpha. Lupin could clearly sense it and could see that Greyback was struggling with the beast within, which was urging him to submit to a superior being._

_The newcomer was no beast Lupin had ever met. His inner wolf was not responding to it in the usual manner, and humans did not project such an aura, and yet there it was, rolling of him in waves. Greyback's cronies were backing away, sweating and obviously losing the fight against their instincts. Their fear of Greyback was clearly the only thing preventing them, from fleeing. The other man seemed to notice something similar, and pressed his advantage._

“ _You know, Greyback, dogs bare their bellies to those they consider superior. Perhaps you should just do that now, and save all of us some time and trouble?”_

_Lupin watched the werewolf leader eye his followers, and winced slightly. The boy had gone just a bit too far. Fenrir Greyback was a very proud monster, even if he was a coward and he most certainly was not going to take that one lying down. And sure enough, he lunged forward with a howl, the other two followed closely behind..._

_The man twisted his body and dodged their attacks, his superior speed making it look easy. He bobbed and weaved away from their punches, before landing a few of his own. He threw a small fireball at the woman, who barely dodged, falling to the floor in the process. He spun in a semicircle and slammed his foot into Greyback's shoulder, and sent him spinning to the ground._

_The one left standing, tried to punch the young man in the face, but stretched too far, so the lad grabbed his arm and punched the attacker in the throat. The man crumbled to the ground, trying to catch his breath. The young fighter strode quickly over to Lupin, and set about cutting the restraints. He looked at Lupin with worry._

“ _Can you walk?”_

“ _Yes, I think so. They did not hurt me too badly, it looks worse than it is. Might I ask who you are and how you found me?”_

“ _Don't concern yourself with that for now, just focus on getting on your feet. Just run, Lupin. I will take care of them.” Lupin stared at the man, who obviously knew who he was. Had someone sent him here? If so, who?_

_His saviour turned around, to find his enemies on their feet again, staring at him hatefully. Greyback was obviously seething with anger now. Not only had he beat them, he'd basically made them look like weaklings. Harry unsheathed his sword, and watched the three closely._

“ _Make a mockery of me, will you, human? You are strong, but can you handle this?”_

_Leather creaked as Harry gripped his sword tighter, ready for anything. He glanced back, only to find Lupin still there staring past him at Greyback, his eyes wide. Harry followed his gaze, and nearly dropped his sword from the shock. How was this possible? The full moon wasn't for another three weeks!_

_They were changing rapidly, and then, before him stood three growling, full fledged werewolves, their spittle dripping onto the floor. Harry was vaguely aware of the three guards up top, running toward the window on the roof. Smart, since werewolves usually attacked indiscriminately. Knowing Lupin had not moved, Harry silently cursed the man. What the bloody hell was he playing at? He was of no use in this fight, human as he was at the moment._

_Harry was becoming desperate. He was good at multitasking, but even with all his powers, bringing Lupin out safely, while fighting three werewolves, was next to impossible. His friend had tried to play it tough, but Harry could now see the older man was barely standing. This test was as stern as they came, but Greyback had made a grave mistake..._

“ _Human, huh? I suppose I was, once upon a time,” Harry said as he stalked forward, twirling his sword in front of him._

_Lupin watched as the boy walked toward the werewolves, sword in hand. Not human? Remus thought the young man certainly looked human enough. He could only watch as his rescuer engaged the beasts in battle, and that was when Lupin began to wonder just how much truth there was to the boy's statement. He was much faster than humanly possible, with the way he danced around, his sword slashing. His strength was nothing to scoff at, either._

_He was clearly stronger than the beasts, by a fair margin, as he grabbed one and threw it away easily. He had the werewolves on the back foot now, keeping all three of them in front of him at all times. He had managed to cut the wolves several times, but they were mere flesh wounds. Indeed, he certainly was not a regular human, that much was clear by now._

_Remarkably, the boy himself had remained uninjured. Slowly, however, the tables started to turn, when the werewolves started working together. It was inconceivable. Lycanthropes did not work as a pack in their morphed state. They were too savage, to wild to do so effectively. Apparently, the rumour he had learned of earlier, had some truth to it. People who could change at will, and retain some basic intelligence._

_The thought sent shivers down Lupin's back. If Riddle brought such a force to bear, along with the giants, that could very well be it for this war. He hissed loudly as he watched the young man spin to the ground, by a glancing blow to the head. The beast tried to take advantage of his fall, but the man recovered quickly and rolled out of the way._

_Harry's vision on his right was blurred by blood, as it ran freely down his face from a cut above his right eye. The beast that knocked him down came at him, an arm swinging. It was overconfident after his tumble, and it swung too wide, however. Harry neatly stepped inside, and thrust his sword through the werewolf's heart. It went down with a growl, and did not rise again._

“ _Look out!” Lupin exclaimed suddenly._

_Harry's reaction, although late, saved his life. He stepped forward, and grunted painfully as a werewolf raked the claws of one hand down his right shoulder blade and across his lower back with the other. The pain that followed was mind numbing, but Harry managed to reverse the grip on his sword and thrust it backwards. He heard a pained howl, followed by a thud. He jumped out of the way and saw Greyback fly past him, arms and claws extended._

_The female was trying to scramble to her feet again, clutching her abdomen, blood oozing between her fingers. Harry quickly stepped over, and brought his sword down on her neck, ending her life. Two down, one to go. Grimly, he understood he had to put them all down. He could not let any of them escape this place. One werewolf, especially in Muggle London could end an untold number of lives, particularly one as insane as Greyback._

_Harry gripped his sword tighter, ready to face Greyback, but fell to one knee, the pain in his back almost too much to bear. He would bleed to death soon if he did not get to his coat, which was lying near the rafters. In it were two vials of that healing potion he'd made. He heard a howl as Greyback advanced, ready to deliver the final blow, but then movement flashed across his vision..._

_Lupin saw the young man fall to one knee, obviously nearing his limit, he had to have gotten seriously injured before. He saw Greyback howl in delight and start toward his opponent. Lupin felt himself shiver with unknown strength, and he lunged forward and placed himself in front of the kneeling man, arms outstretched._

_The werewolf hesitated for barely a second, before thrusting his fingers into his abdomen, and then he flung him aside like a piece of trash. Lupin crashed into a steel column, and crumbled to the floor. He grabbed his abdomen, in a futile attempt to stem the blood flow._

_He looked up to see Greyback turn his attention to the young man, who stared in his direction. His face distorted in anger, green eyes flashing brightly. Lupin turned his gaze on Greyback and at that moment, he understood the psychopath's life was measured in minutes._

_Harry stared at Lupin, who lay crumbled against a steel column, his hands clutching his abdomen. He felt his face twist in fury as their eyes met for a brief moment. He turned his gaze toward Greyback, and rose to his feet. He growled fiercely and felt his canines grow, and he felt stronger than ever before._

_He stood up and stalked over to Greyback, who suddenly stopped cold, then hunched over, clearly afraid. Harry made a sweeping gesture with his left hand, firing a huge fireball at his foe, who howled in pain and tried to scramble away, but Harry was not done. He swept the werewolf of his feet with a gust of wind, and pinned the creature down._

_Harry cursed himself loudly in his head. Foolish, foolish boy, thinking he was ready for the big fights... How could he have been so careless? He'd completely forgotten about his arm braces once the fighting had begun in earnest, and Lupin was dying because of it!_

_His gaze hardened as Greyback reverted back to his human form, completely overcome with fear. The bastard was literally shaking. Harry came upon his foe. He wanted to kill him right then and there; his rage almost boiling over. But he had to make sure there were no more things like Greyback or those other two, running around._

“ _How many of you are there, Greyback? Answer truthfully, or this may take the rest of the night.”_

_Harry had no intention of torturing Greyback, but he put the tip of his sword on Greyback's chest, and drew a fine line across the thing's body. Not drawing blood, just enough to tickle the imagination. A slight burn appeared on the man's chest, and his eyes went wide with absolute terror. It wasn't every day you were attacked with a silverite blade._

“ _There was no one else. Only the three of us were strong enough, to make it through the ritual. There will be no more, I assure you. The cost The Dark Lord paid the African bitch to perform the ritual, was too high.”_

“ _What ritual, Greyback? Who performed it?”_

“ _The Dark Lord made a deal with someone. I don't know who it was and I don't know any details of the deal. She performed some kind of ritual, to allow us to control our gift. We still change with the full moon as regular werewolves. That's all I know, I swear.”_

Harry nodded. “ _Where are the headquarters of the Snatchers?”_

_Harry ignited a fireball, in his left palm. He saw Greyback almost start to cry, straining against the airflow that held him down. Staring up at the angry wizard, the monster told him what he needed to know._

“ _It's in the Forest of Dean! I'm telling the truth, I swear!”_

_This time, Harry had been listening to Greyback's heartbeat and he could tell the man was not lying. Satisfied, Harry put out the fire, and looked his foe straight in the eye. Without further ado, Harry severed Greyback's head from his torso and turned around._

_Mustering his strength, he leapt up ,and raced up to the rafters. He staggered over to his coat and brought out two vials. He uncorked the first one, and downed its contents, before jumping from the walkway. He landed heavily on the floor and stumbled, before slowly hobbling his way over to Lupin._

_Harry fell to his knees next to his friend, who was barely conscious. A large pool of blood was covering the floor beneath him, growing larger as the older man bled. Harry grabbed Lupin, and propped him up against the column. He uncorked the second vial, and offered it to Lupin, who managed to drink it without too much trouble._

_After that, Harry draped his coat over Lupin, to try and keep him warm. The older man was too weak to side along Apparate at that moment, and Harry dared not move Remus too much. The only chance was to wait, until the potion did its work and hope he had not been too late. Harry felt his eyes moisten as he looked at Lupin._

_Lupin looked over to the young man, who sat on the floor in front of him, tears dripping from his eyes. Lupin wondered why he was crying. He noticed the boy had removed his cap._ _Not human, he had said and those ears certainly were not those of any human. The boy grunted in pain, as he shifted his position slightly, which afforded the older man a look at his teeth._

_Those canines definitely weren't human either. He watched in amazement, as the teeth started to recede slowly. His eyes kept examining the man's face and stopped at his forehead. The blood loss had to be making him hallucinate, because on his forehead was a scar, a lightening shaped scar, no less and coupled with those green eyes... He chuckled and a cough racked his body. The young man reached over, and steadied him while it blew over. Lupin caught his breath once more, and he turned his gaze upon the young man._

“ _I realize I must be seeing things, but I know a young man with a scar very similar to the one you have on your forehead, my friend. His eyes are that exact colour, too.”_

_The young man looked at him, and smiled sadly. “I know, Moony. I know him too.”_

_Lupin stared at the young man, his eyes suddenly very sharp and attentive. Moony was not a name many people knew. In fact, they could almost be counted on the fingers of one hand._

“ _Harry?”_

“ _Hey, Lupin,” Harry said softly and smiled. “It's been a while. I hope the next time we see each other, we won't have to fight any bloody werewolves.”_

_Remus Lupin was at a complete loss for words. This was Harry? Certainly not. Harry Potter did not have pointy ears, he did not have teeth like some sort of vampire, and he most assuredly did not top six feet! Lupin felt better now, the potion doing its job. The blood had stopped flowing, and he felt stronger. It seemed Harry had given him the potion, just in time._

“ _Where have you been, Harry? We've looked all over for you! We thought you were dead. Bloody hell. Wait, you're the one, that vigilante fighting Riddle?” Even though it had been phrased as a question, Harry noted it was a statement._

“ _Obviously, Lupin. How are you doing? I see there's some colour returning to your face. I think you'll be fine, since you're not dead yet, but we must get you help. The potion will stop the blood flow, at least for a while, but it won't heal you outright.”_

“ _I have a thousand questions, Harry, but I'd rather ask them at home. Will you take me there? I don't think I can Apparate in the condition I'm in, at the moment. Not without leaving a part of myself behind. I doubt Tonks will approve.”_

_Harry snorted. “I can think of at least one body part she'd really rather, you kept whole,” Harry said and smiled, as the older man let out a painful chuckle._

“ _Don't make me laugh, Harry!”_

_Harry watched Lupin for a while, thinking hard. Remus wanted him to take him home, to ask him questions. Harry was more than willing to take his friend home to his wife, but there was a problem. He'd had never been to Remus' home. He voiced his thoughts to his friend. Lupin was quiet for a minute, then a smile lit up his face._

“ _Can you use Legilimency, Harry? I can show you my house, in my mind. That should do the trick.”_

“ _I'm not good at it, but if you think it will work, then I can certainly try.”_

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_Some time later, they were standing in the middle of the road, facing a small, two story house on the outskirts of Hawkshead, a small village in Cumbria. It was a nice place, a cottage made of bricks, with a tiled roof, and a small garden. It had a white picket fence, and a cute little gate by the side walk. Harry smiled. His friends deserved to live like this, to be happy and free. Harry heard a car approaching, some ways off and he became acutely aware of their situation._

_To any bystander, they would have been an odd pair, to be sure. One was young, very tall, topless and had a sword strapped to his back. He had the arm of the other one, a middle aged gentleman draped across his shoulders, supporting his weight. Harry had removed his shirt, and tied it around Lupin's abdomen, just in case._

“ _It's alright, Harry. There's just Tonks inside, no worries. In any case, she ought to be sleeping. Poppy gave her a few days off.” Harry wondered what that meant, but decided to leave it alone, for now._

_They approached the house, and Harry opened the door, half carrying Remus inside. His own wounds hurt like hell, but he'd be all right. All he needed, was a very hot bath. Harry gently laid Remus down on she sofa. He noted a change in Tonk's breathing on the upper floor; she had woken up. Harry put Lupin's feet onto the couch as well, and stacked a few pillows behind his friend, to help him lie in a reclining position._

“ _Tonks is awake, Remus.”_

_Remus eyed Harry. “How can you tell?”_

“ _I heard her wake up, she moved the covers on the bed. Is there any food? I'm starving.”_

_Lupin stared at Harry. He heard her wake up? Heard her moving in the bed? Surely, he was having a laugh. Harry gave him a small smile. Confirming Harry's statement, Lupin heard footsteps on the upper floor, hurrying to the stairs, descending two steps two at a time, while Harry retreated to the kitchen._

000000

_Nymphadora Tonks awoke with a start, instinctively looking over at the other side of the bed, only to find it empty. Despite her Auror training, when she had starting living with Remus, she could not sleep when he was out on missions. She'd been so nervous, and afraid for her husband. Eventually, though, she had gotten over herself, but not before a long talk with Remus._

_She had since resigned from the Aurors, not happy with the direction the Ministry was going. That whole institution was more crooked, and gnarled than the Whomping Willow... Arthur had also left, as had Percy and Shack. The Ministry was no longer safe for those with 'questionable' views and she was a Metamorphmagus as well, so..._

_That bastard Thicknesse was so deep in Riddle's pocket, she was certain he never actually saw the light of day, any more. And the Toad... Tonks had decided to focus on healing, and had taken an internship with Madam Pomfrey. Minerva, as Headmistress had somehow managed to hide her payment, from the school governors._

_Fortunately, ever since that fiasco with Umbitch as the DADA professor, the Wizengamot had ruled to make Hogwarts more autonomous than ever before, and as of yet, those who were in favour of tightening the reins on the school again, had not managed a majority vote._ _Not that Minerva actually cared about that in all honesty. All she cared about, was the welfare and safety of her students. Also, it was not so bad, to have another pair of experienced eyes at Hogwarts, to try and make things as safe as possible._

_She heard voices downstairs and she threw her covers off and put on a heavy robe. Her husband was home and apparently, had brought someone with him. She hurried down the stairs, two steps at a time. She was not prepared for what awaited her at the bottom of the stairs, however._

_Her husband lay on the sofa, blood all over him and his face was a grimace of pain. A shirt was tied around his midsection like some sort of makeshift bandage. He grunted, as he shifted himself a little higher on the sofa. He gave her a strained smile, that somehow managed to be impish at the same time._

“ _Hey, Dora. Say, do you think you could patch me up, please? I seem to be leaking.”_

_Tonks hurried to her husband's side, and untied the shirt, then cursed under her breath as she saw the wound in his abdomen. She waved her wand over the wound and luckily, there did not seem to be much bleeding, nor much internal damage._

_As she examined it, the bleeding seemed to be starting up again. She thanked the many lessons she'd had with Madame Pomfrey over the last few months, and she had gotten quite good at this, even if she said so herself._

“ _What happened to you, Remus? I thought you had only gone to run down a rumour?”_

“ _That was the plan. Turned out it was a trap, laid by Greyback and his men.”_

_Tonks cursed under her breath. Greyback? Such a horrible person, if you could call that **thing** a person. She got to her feet and grabbed a first aid kit from a cabinet by the door. She took out a sterilizing agent, and poured some of it onto his wound. _

_Lupin hissed, and arched his back from the pain. Tonks produced a vial of a strong painkilling potion. It would dull the pain, but keep his mind sharp. She had him down a blood replenishing potion, as well._

_She picked up her wand and pointed it at Lupin at a forty five degree angle. She gave her husband a look to confirm if he was ready. Because of the potion she had given him, this would not hurt, but it would be fairly unpleasant, regardless. Lupin nodded, and she began. Lupin winced when he felt the wound begin to close._

_He looked behind Tonks at Harry, who stood in the doorway, leaning against the frame. Harry had removed the sword, and the arm braces as well, and Lupin was glad to see his friend relax a little bit. He was starting to turn pale and was sweating an awful lot, though, and there was a tightness to his mouth and neck. Even so, when Tonks was done, Harry got a little twinkle in his eye._

“ _Hey, Tonks, d'you reckon the shirt is ruined, or does the blood come out, in the wash?”_

_Tonks whipped around, and let out a startled gasp as she noticed the hulking giant of a man standing in the door to her living room, smiling at her. Before she could raise her wand, however, Lupin held her back, a hand on her arm, forcing it down._

“ _It's all right, Dora! It's Harry. It's Harry, love. He's the one who rescued me, earlier.”_

_Tonks looked at her husband, incredulously. Was he injured worse than she thought? Feverish? She put a hand to his forehead. He had to be, else he would never have made such an outlandish claim. This man was scrawny little Harry Potter? Impossible._

_For starters, Harry was just over eighteen. That man looked to be, no less than twenty five. Much too tall and broad. It was simply impossible. To be joking at such a time... She looked at her husband, annoyed._

“ _Don't get cute with me, Remus Lupin. This can't be Harry. That boy is a scrawny little git. Whoever this is, looks like a Braveheart reject. All that's missing is some blue face paint and a kilt, and he'd be raring to go. She turned to Harry. "No flashing your front, ya hear me!”_

_Harry burst out laughing. She really had a fantastic sense of humour, that Tonks. He hadn't laughed for a while, and it felt good. His laughter died down, but he still shook with silent mirth. He wiped the sweat from his brow and looked at his hand, frowning, before turning his gaze on Tonks, once more._

“ _Ah, that did me good, Tonks. Or is it Nymphadora, now that you're a prim and proper housewife? You always did hate that name, though.”_

_Tonks looked at Lupin, her eyes wide and uncertain. He nodded and smiled, his hand squeezing hers. She stood up from the sofa and approached Harry._

“ _Shut up, you!” she said and hugged him tightly, which caused Harry to groan painfully._

_Tonks released him, backed away quickly and noticed her hands were covered in blood. She looked at Harry's face and saw that he sweating profusely, now. Tonks grabbed his arm, and turned him around, sucking in a breath and felt herself shudder. She heard Lupin suck in a breath too._

“ _Harry!” the werewolf exclaimed in worry._

_His back was a bloody, torn mess. Three severe claw marks ran down his right shoulder blade and a further three across his lower back, each almost a quarter of an inch wide, and who knew how deep. They were bleeding freely now, a rather large puddle forming on the floor. Harry grimaced, when he noticed it. He turned around and looked at Tonks apologetically._

“ _I'm sorry, Nym. I seem to be bleeding all over your floor. I didn't mean to be a both-”_

_He never finished the sentence and she caught him as he fell down, his consciousness fading. Tonks struggled a bit with his weight, but managed to slowly let Harry slip to the floor, making sure he landed on his stomach. She felt her hands tremble, as she examined the wounds more closely. She shook her head in wonder, more than fear, as she knew she could patch him up no problem._

_What she was wondering about, was how the bloody hell he could have been moving around with wounds like that. How had he stayed conscious? She knew her friend had willpower to spare, but even that only took you so far, and it certainly did nothing for blood loss. She looked on her husband, a question in her eyes, before she set about healing Harry._

“ _I know nothing, Dora. He simply appeared at the warehouse, where they were holding me. He was just in time, too. Greyback was getting nowhere with his interrogation and he was about to end it all. But look at him. Something happened to him, but I can't for the life of me figure out what. Open his mouth, and take a look at his teeth. And those ears... What could have done this? You should have seen him move, Dora, it was unbelievable. He was faster than a werewolf, and not by a little bit, either. He ran circles around them. And the strength, it wasn't even a contest...”_

_Tonks worked her wand carefully, mending Harry's wounds, to the best of her ability. They would scar horribly, she knew, despite her efforts. Wounds caused be magical beasts usually did. Another unanswered question, was how on earth he hadn't bled to death. Or her husband, for that matter. Unless..._

“ _Did Harry give you a blood congealing potion, love?”_

“ _Yes, I suppose that's what he gave me. Didn't explain anything, just chugged down one vial, and fed me the other one.”_

_Tonks nodded. It made sense. However, the potion might not have been brewed perfectly, as it should have done a better job of it. Of course, everybody knew Harry was pants at potions, but the fact that these wounds were caused by a werewolf, might explain why it had not worked as intended._

_She put the finishing touches on Harry's back, then turned her attention to his head. That one was not so bad. She would simply clean it, and let it mend on its own. Lupin got to his feet stiffly, and Tonks levitated Harry onto the sofa, covering him with a blanket._

“ _Should we let someone know he's here? I mean look at him. He can't go on like this, Dora. He'll kill himself, if he does not stop.”_

Nym shook her head. “ _I realize all that, Remus, but I can't do that until I've had a chance to speak with him. He's obviously worked very hard at staying hidden, or at the very least unknown. We owe him the chance to explain himself. I reckon he must have a pretty compelling reason for all this; no one would go through whatever this transformation is, without one. Come on, let's go to bed and tackle this in the morning.”_

000000

_Harry awoke, the setting sun's amber rays shining in his eyes. How long had he been sleeping? He blinked several times, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings, before he remembered what had gone before. He carefully swung his legs over the side of the sofa, grimacing as he felt a tug on his back. His wounds, he supposed._ _He got to his feet, and stretched, feeling the tension ease out of his body. There was no one in the house at the moment, aside from himself and a sleeping Lupin on the upper floor. He raised his arm, and smelled his armpit, his face contorting from the smell._

_He needed a bath. He grabbed his mended clothes, and went up the stairs. Before heading for the bathroom however, he looked in on Lupin, who was sleeping soundly. Harry nodded in satisfaction, before disappearing into the bathroom, to clean himself._

_Harry descended the stairs, mentally preparing himself for the confrontation that was to come. He had heard when Lupin woke up, and went downstairs to join Tonks in the kitchen, as she had come home from where ever she had gone. They would be full of questions, he knew and he struggled with deciding if he should answer any. Perhaps he should answer all of them?_

_Tonks and Lupin sat at the kitchen table, enjoying a cup of tea, their faces content. They looked up as their friend entered the kitchen, looking somewhat better than the night before. Lupin gestured for Harry to sit, while his wife set to make a cup for Harry, who sat down, a somewhat embarrassed look on his face._

“ _How are you feeling, Harry?” Lupin asked once his friend had sat down opposite him._

“ _I'm OK, Lupin, thanks to Tonks.”_

“ _Here you go.”_

_Tonks handed Harry a cup of tea. He gratefully took a sip, enjoying the feeling of the hot fluid running down his throat. It also gave him an excuse to focus on something else than the pair in front of him. His friend's gaze was a bit uncomfortable, to be honest. Lupin cleared his throat, an angry glint in his eyes._

“ _I'd like an explanation, Harry Potter. Do you realize how much trouble you have caused? And for how many people, disappearing like that? We had almost given you up for dead!”_

_Harry looked on as Tonks laid a hand on Lupin's arm, calming him. She was in better control than her husband at the moment, a rare thing, but she too, looked at Harry with a very displeased expression. Her hair was an angry red colour now, as opposed to her usual mix of violet and pink. Harry sighed deeply, and decided to throw caution to the wind, and told them what he had set out to do, why he'd decided to go it alone, too._

_He withheld any information about Fawkes, Gryffindor, his stronghold and his transformation. He did not tell them of the Horcrux in his soul, either. He was aware they noticed the gaps in his storytelling, and he would tell them eventually, but not now. Lupin shook his head in wonder, and he felt his wife grab his hand tightly. The sun was getting low and cast long shadows around the small kitchen._

_Lupin rubbed his face, dejectedly. “You're telling us, that Riddle carved his soul into pieces and stored them in objects, scattered around Britain? I knew he was insane, but this... And you've found and destroyed some of them?”_

“ _Yes. Dumbledore set out on this quest alone at first, then took me with him at the end of my sixth year. There are a few missing, still.”_

_While they had been talking, Tonks had been watching Harry carefully. Her Auror training helped her a great deal when it came to reading people. There was a picture on a shelf above hers and Lupin's heads. It was a picture of some of the Order members and all of the Weasleys were on it, except Percy._

_Harry had been stealing glances at the photo all through the conversation when he thought they weren't looking. She saw the hurt and longing in his eyes. She knew it was unlikely to change anything, but she was annoyed with him, so she decided to be a bit of a bitch._

“ _She misses you, you know. It took her a long time to get over your disappearance. She was angry at you for a long while, too, Harry. We all were and some still are. Oh, and what makes you think you can make such a decision for us? We are all grown people.”_

_Harry sighed and stared into his cup.“You know I didn't have anybody I cared about for a long time, Nym, not until I came to Hogwarts. It's in my nature to try and save the people I care about, to keep them from harm. I can't help it. Lupin, you were there yesterday. If Ron or Hermione had been there, they would have died and you know it._

_Magic hardly works against werewolves, you know that too. I killed people yesterday, Remus! I don't want them to have to go through that. Not if I can prevent it. I know they're a part of this war, but at least they won't be a part of **this**. I'm also sick and tired of having people die, to protect me, especially now that I have the power to protect them as well as myself.”_

_Lupin frowned, and watched his friend for a few moments. When Harry put it like that, he supposed he understood where the lad was coming from. It didn't make him feel any better about it, but the look in Harry's eyes told him all he needed to know. There was still the fact that Harry had killed three people, a scant few hours ago._

_Sure, they had been werewolves, rabid and dangerous, but people nontheless, and he knew Harry would eat himself up about it. But the worst part was that Remus knew Harry had killed, even before he started on this quest, and it galled him not being able to help his best friend's son._

“ _How are you feeling about what you had to do last night, Harry? It's never easy to take a life. I know the feeling. Fortunately, I've only had to do it twice, but it tore at me.”_

_Harry put his face in his hands for a moment, and took a deep breath. He had hoped they would not talk about it, but of course they would. They were good friends, after all._

“ _I feel awful, and I had a nightmare about it. Quirrell was in there too, somewhere. Then there are some Death Eaters I'm certain I killed at Malfoy manor. I know it had to be done, and I would do it again in a heartbeat. I could not risk those monsters roaming the country, unchecked. It's just hard, you know, when you think about the fact that they were human, in the end.”_

_Tonks reached over the table and took his hand in hers. She told him how the dreams would pass in time when his mind had accepted what he had done. She then went on to reassure him of all the good he had done._

“ _As much as I hate the fact that you're out there alone, you have done a lot of good. Saved quite a few lives. You bring hope to people, Harry, and for that, we are grateful. I also must thank you for saving my aunt. She arrived at my Mum's, before Snape contacted the Order some time ago, and we kind of took them in after questioning them under Veritaserum. Snape's knowledge has been invaluable. He's been gone for an awful lone time, though, now that I think of it. Mum and aunt Cissy have begun to settle their differences, although their relationship is still a little strained. She's fine, by the way. Narcissa, I mean.”_

“ _I'm glad to hear it, Tonks,” Harry said and smiled happily. In the back of his mind, however, he did notice that Tonks had not mentioned her father at all in the conversation. He noted and was somewhat intimidated by a slightly mischievous look that formed in Tonk's eyes before she continued._

“ _Yeah. Apparently a tall, dark and handsome stranger saved her life, and literally swept her of her feet and carried her to safety. After that, he stared her down and told her exactly what he thought of her and her beliefs.”_

_Harry choked on his tea and blushed furiously.“What?”_

“ _Her words to my Mum! Honest!”_

“ _You're having me on, aren't you?”_

_Tonks laughed jovially and patted his hand lightly before her eyes became serious once more._

“ _What are you planning to do now, Harry? Remus asked._

“ _Well, my quest for the Horcruxes continues, I guess. In fact, I will likely be getting my hands on another one tonight, if all goes well. I won't tell you any more than that. The lesser you know, the better. You know this whole quest of mine hangs on Riddle not finding out about, what I'm doing. I don't want him to start moving those things around, after all._

_I'd like to ask you to keep my secret for a while. At least until I find one more Horcrux, besides the one I'm getting tonight. Once I find that one, there should not really be any reason for me, not to come in out of the cold. Now, I really must be going, I'm already late for my meeting. And promise me you won't try to go for those things, yourselves. Please. These things are extremely dangerous, and you haven't the means to destroy them, safely.”_

“ _Harry-” Lupin began._

“ _Promise me!”_

_Harry's stare was unrelenting, and his friends reluctantly nodded their agreement. They disliked allowing him to leave, once more, on his own, but knew Harry's mission was of the utmost importance._

_Lupin feared greatly, for his young friend. There was a weariness in Harry, he had sometimes seen in Moody. It was the deep, deep weariness of a man who was continually pushed beyound his limits and Lupin knew Harry was being pressed further, than at any time before in his young life. He put a hand on Harry's shoulder, as the young man opened the front door, and prepared to leave._

“ _Our door is always open to you Harry. Remember that. You must also remember you have friends, who are willing to help you, in whatever capacity you require. Please, just be careful.”_

_Harry nodded, stepped out and Apparated away. Lupin turned to his wife and smiled at her, before gathering her in his arms._

“ _He'll be ok, Dora. You know Harry. Once he gets like this, nothing is going to stop him from doing, what he needs to do. On another note, did Narcissa really say all those things to your mother?”_

_Tonks grinned at that.“No, not really, I was just having a laugh. Harry's reaction was priceless. Admit it, you found it hilarious. Mum actually does think Cissy has it bad for Harry, though.”_

_Lupin's eyes widened a bit at that._ “ _You're serious? What makes her think that? Andie does realize her sister is over twenty years older than Harry, right? Hang on, did Narcissa reveal Harry's identity to your mother?”_

_Tonks tapped her chin slowly. “Yes, Cissy did tell her. She reckoned sharing information like that was a good way to start mending fences. Mum refused to tell me, though, when I asked. And about the other thing. Even if it's true, it's not that bad, Remus. We wizards live for a long time, after all. Narcissa should be looking at at least another century, and a half. At any rate, when Aunt Cissy visited my Mum's earlier, Mum didn't really trust her, even if she told her that she had reconsidered her stance on the things, that drove them apart, all those years ago.”_

“ _How did that go?” Lupin asked._

_Tonks shrugged. “Narcissa admitted she had always felt it had been wrong, to cast Mum out of the family. They talked a bit more, then. It was bad, Remus. Mum said she was completely cold, when she told her about Malfoy's betrayal. You've met Cissy a few times since then, you know how she is. But when she started telling Mum about the rescue, she started blushing like mad, and kept getting embarrassed. Apparently Harry carried her through the forest, surrounding the manor, to safety. Mum was in stitches when she told me. 'Like a love sick teenager's fantasy,' she said.”_

_Lupin rubbed the back of his neck and let out a groan._ “ _That does not sound like Narcissa Malfoy. At all. One look from that woman, could freeze over the Mediterranean. That aside, she does seem to be one to go after what she wants, so Ginny may want to stay on her toes.”_

_Lupin let out a long sigh. “Harry never has it easy, does he? Narcissa Malfoy, of all women... I can scarcely believe it.” Tonks laughed heartily, and turned around in her husband's arms, to look him in the eyes, slightly serious._

“ _Well I don't know if it's something serious, but it's not too crazy she might be feeling like that. I mean, he did save her life, at considerable risk to his own. He could have left her there, after the stunner hit, according to Mum. But we both know that's not Harry, and Cissy must have realized that. And coming from a marriage, such as the one she was in, I can see her falling hard for a man like Harry. He's basically the complete opposite of Lucius Malfoy; warm, caring and selfless. It's very easy to fall in love with, and to be in love, with a man like that.”_

“ _Sounds about right,” Lupin said. “I doubt he realizes it, though. He is completely clueless, when it comes to women, after all.”_

_Tonks smiled sweetly at her husband at that. Too sweetly. Lupin smiled a sheepish smile, which turned into a worried frown. He looked his wife in the eyes. Tonks sighed. Knowing her husband as well as she did, she knew precisely what he was going to say, and she placed a finger on his lips, before he could say anything._

“ _Harry did not need to know of my father's death, at the hands of those disgusting Snatchers, Remus. He has enough to worry about, that he does not need to carry around the guilt of my father's death, and you know he would. He needs to stay focused.” Lupin merely nodded and brought his wife to him, in a crushing hug._

000000

_A little while later, Harry walked up Diagon Alley, his backpack swinging slightly with the pace he was going. He knocked on Griphook's door, once there. No answer. Harry focused his hearing, and the could hear low grunts from inside, which stopped abruptly. He grabbed the doorknob, only to find it locked._

_He looked around, before putting his shoulder into the door, forcing it open. He quickly ducked inside, and closed the door. He slowly advanced down the hallway, to the Goblin's living room. He found his small accomplice lying on the floor, hand clutching a silver cup. The goblin's eyes were closed, and froth had formed in his mouth; he had obviously been having some sort of seizure, before his breathing stopped._

_Harry rushed over and grabbed a hold of Griphook's hand, forcing it to release the cup. It dropped to the floor with a loud noise. Harry ignored it for the moment, all his attention on Griphook, who relaxed immediately, and began breathing once more. Once the goblin seemed to be breathing normally, Harry turned his attention to the cup lying on the floor._

_He stared at it for a moment. He knew he was late, but he had not thought the goblin would have gone after the cup, without at least talking with him first. He didn't know what he could have done, he was not going to get into the Ministry, after all, but it would have been good, to have known the plan. And why had the goblin picked up the cup, with his bare hands? Griphook certainly knew better._

_Well, there was nothing for it. Harry reached down, and grabbed the cup with both hands. He was at once attacked by waves of psychic energy. He fell to his knees, trembling in pain, trying to maintain some semblance of control. This was so much more intense, than the time when he'd destroyed the locket._

_But at the same time, he felt more attuned to it somehow. He felt the walls he had erected around his mind, shake with the force of the energy, that was threatening to invade his mind. He had to destroy the thing, before that happened, because he did not know if he could repel it this time, like he had done with the locket._

_So, once again, he pushed his mind outward, slowly pushing back against the power of the Horcrux. There were a few lapses, moments where Harry fought back with desperation, until eventually, he felt the cup get warm, then scalding hot, as had been the case with Slytherin's locket. He felt a small explosion in his mind, and tried to let go of the cup, when he felt a searing pain in his left palm. Harry tore it free, revealing a scar the shape of a Badger._

_Harry grimaced. More scars. A snake in his right palm, and a badger in the other. What next? A raven on his bollocks? Harry stayed on the floor for a few moments, panting heavily. He placed the cup in his backpack, walked over to Griphook, and shook him slightly. The goblin awoke, with a start._

“ _What, who... Oh, it's you, wizard. What happened?”_

“ _You were attacked by the cup once you took it in your hands,” Harry was furious. “You were dying, but I got here just in time. What the bloody hell were you thinking? I warned you, how dangerous this thing was!”_

_Griphook carefully got to his feet, and sat down in a nearby chair, running his hands across his face. He felt as if he had fallen down several flights of stairs. He sat back in the chair, groaning as he did. He was certain he would ache, for days._

“ _I cannot explain it, Mr. Potter. I felt this thing calling to me; an irresistible urge to touch it, to feel it in my hands. It was so exquisite in its perfection. It was meant to be admired, to be gazed upon, with reverence.”_

“ _Well, I took care of it, Griphook. Do you mind telling me how your foray into the Ministry went.”_

“ _It was no problem at all, actually. It went without a hitch. Hardly anyone was in there, as a matter of fact. Apparently, there was some kind of battle, down by the docks last night. They found three bodies there, werewolves. One of which was Fenrir Greyback.”_

“ _Yes, well, Greyback won't be bothering anyone ever again, I made sure of that, Griphook. It's the reason I was late, actually,” Harry informed Griphook._

_The old goblin stared at Harry, wide eyed. This boy killed Greyback? Now, that was highly noteworthy. To be free of that menace, was bloody brilliant, not to mention Voldemort lost a lieutenant, as well. Griphook made a point of telling the Head Goblin of the young man's prowess._

_Harry got to his feet, wincing slightly when he did. So he had been injured in the battle. Not surprising at all, considering the foe. The boy approached him, and extended his hand, which Griphook gladly shook._

“ _You saved my life, Harry Potter and as such, you may consider me in your debt. It was an honour to help you, lad.”_

“ _I thank you for the sentiment, Griphook. I would like to thank you, for all your help. It was much more than I, or any wizard for that matter, could have expected. But there is something I'd like to ask. Why was the Lestrange vault not seized by the ministry, when they were caught after torturing the Longbottoms? And I assume you recognized the goblet, and that it was cursed? Why wasn't it removed?”_

_Griphook sighed. He sometimes forgot, how young the man was. “Mr. Potter, you know relations between wizards and goblins are, at best tolerable. Back when Bagnold was minister, they were much worse and there was a time, when I was afraid there might even be another goblin war, so we were disinclined to help her._

_The only reason we allowed the Ministry to remove the contents of the Lestrange vault, when they escaped Azkaban, was because of the excellent foundation laid by Amelia Bones. As soon as she became head of the DMLE, she worked to better the relationship between our peoples, because she understood the importance of being allies.”_

“ _I can't imagine Fudge being too happy, about that,” Harry said with derision._

“ _He never knew, Mr. Potter. All of this was done behind his back. Amelia was quite the woman, and she will be missed. As to the goblet. It, by itself, is not a dark artefact, and there is no crime to be in possession of a cursed item. Particularly, when it is safely secured in one's vault, at Gringotts. Furthermore, we goblins are not thieves, and customers can trust us to keep their things safe. And, so long as our clients pay, we have no reason to inspect the vaults.”_

_With nothing more to add, Harry left Griphook's house and walked down Diagon Alley, one Horcrux richer. He Apparated away, and a short time later, he entered Gryffindor's stronghold, and headed for the basement, where he placed the cup on the table, next to the locket. Harry walked over to the fireplace, and set it ablaze with a flick of his wrist, then he pulled out his sword and set about cleaning it, thinking about the events of the last few days..._


	6. VII

VII

_Harry moved his sword in slow, methodical movements, compact and precise. He flowed through the forms, a fine layer of sweat coating his body. He was panting slightly from the exertion, somewhat annoyed. He'd only been at this for an hour or so. Three weeks had passed, since he destroyed the Horcrux within Hufflepuff's cup and November was rapidly nearing its end, but he was still feeling the effects of it._

_His physical injuries were completely healed by now, and while Tonks had closed the wounds on his back, the body still needed time to recover from the ordeal. That, coupled with the intense attack of the Horcrux had left Harry completely exhausted, both mentally and physically, as well as magically drained._ _He experienced bouts of extreme weariness and sadness, which felt like clinical depression at times. He was getting better, though. He found exercising helped and he had been building up his strength and stamina once more. That had afforded him some time, to think about the promise he'd made Griphook._

_How was he going to approach this problem? Griphook had wanted him to use his influence once all this was over, which was all well and good, but the old goblin was assuming Harry would live through this whole thing._ _The whole Horcrux in his soul thing, all but guaranteed he had to die to make certain old Snake Eyes could be killed. He put up his sword and cooled down for a few moments, before stretching._

_Harry grabbed a piece of parchment, a quill and a pot of ink. He had to try to set things in motion, just in case things went bad. But where to start? He rubbed his face, thinking hard. The list of beings and creatures mistreated by the wizard community, felt near endless when he thought about it._ _Some were more prominent than others, of course. The Fountain of Magical Brethren came to Harry's mind. Destroyed in the battle that took Sirius's life, Harry was certain it had been rebuilt by the Ministry. Holding on to this notion of supposed superiority. What fools, they were._

_Harry shook his head in annoyance, twirling the quill in his hand. He'd only seen the fountain twice, but he remembered it vividly, the way wizards had propped themselves up as some kind of superiors to the centaurs, goblins and the house elves. Harry assumed this attitude extended to all magical beings, other than humans. Just how arrogant and conceited could you be? There were beings out there, vastly superior than regular wizards._

_For example, the Veela, while mostly human, could take over the world in a matter of days, should they desire it. It was simply a question of seducing the right people, after all. They were also just as capable at magic as regular wizards were, if Fleur's skills were anything to go by. She was also a very good person, if a bit blunt._

_OK, fine, she was extremely blunt and could be a bit of a bitch, and she sometimes spoke her mind, with little regard to how others would react. Harry knew her mannerisms had to do with how people reacted to her Allure. It was a mask she had fashioned for herself, to keep people at arm's length. Harry had always worn something of a mask himself, and knew all to well, how hard it could be to drop it. Even among friends._

_People cursed with lycantrophy or infected with vampirism fared pretty badly, within Britain. Harry assumed prejudice against werewolves was as old as the affliction itself. It was, for the most part unfounded, driven mostly by fear. Sure, Greyback had been an insane monster, but he had been an exception. His way was not what you'd call normal behaviour by werewolves. Most of them bit, and infected others by accident, not knowing what they were doing._

_Greyback on the other hand, had targeted children specifically, hoping to raise them to hate wizardkind and eventually build an army of his own. Harry rubbed the back of his neck. It would be hard work to try and change a whole people's views when they had been deeply held for untold generations. Still, it was those prejudices that drove people to join Greyback, who dragged them down with him to join Riddle's mad schemes._

_People also held an unfounded fear of vampires. Their powers and abilities were scary to most people, and that was perfectly understandable. However, the fact of the matter was, that in over two hundred years, there had not been a single confirmed attack by a vampire in the whole of the UK._ _A bloody long time, that. Perhaps it was time people came to grips with the fact, that vampires were no longer a significant threat. There was but a single vampire clan in the whole of the UK, and they kept to themselves._

_He would have to go and try to discover if they had given their allegiance to Riddle. If he could find them. He had absolutely no idea where they lived, or if they lived together somewhere in some kind of conclave. Probably not. It seemed safer to assume they lived as regular humans, or wizards, that they had integrated themselves into society. He'd have to find the head of the clan, whoever that was._

_And the giants. Now, no one would ever say people's fear of giants was irrational. Their numerous atrocities against the Muggle community, during the first wizard war were still fresh in people's minds. Quite many of them had been killed by special Auror squads, so the remaining giants in Great Britain had fled to the most remote areas of the world, hiding themselves away. They were known to occupy certain places, in both Scandinavia and eastern Europe._

_According to Hagrid, there were few of them left by now, since they were not great at living together, and were slowly killing their own species to extinction. How siding with Riddle was going to change that, Harry didn't know, but there was a lot of hate on both sides on that one, so he gave up on the giants right away._ _Perhaps they joined simply to kill something else, than a fellow giant for a change? Perhaps it might be best to simply get rid of them once, and for all... Harry shook his head in dismissal. Dark thoughts, and distasteful. Of course, he would never advocate such drastic measures._

_What Harry felt was truly unfortunate and disappointing was the way half-giants were seen and treated by others. On one hand, humans treated them with scorn due to their lineage and on the other, giants looked down on them because of their smaller stature and inferior strength, the only two things that seemed to matter to their brutish race._

_Harry sighed sadly. He knew Hagrid had always had a problem, with the way some people reacted to him. Most British wizards spent at least seven years around the big guy, and Hagrid was a very likeable person, but not everyone could look past his freakishly big body, or cast away their bias, which they usually carried over from their families._

_Centaurs were not a large race, by any means. The single colony in the UK was safely hidden in The Forbidden Forest. Harry did not relish having to go, and speak to the Centaurs, their disdain for wizardkind burned brightly. Harry did not blame them in the slightest, knowing they had been used as slave labour in ages past. People like Dolores Umbridge saw them as filthy halfbreeds, and treated them as such._

_Perhaps, the Centaurs should have been allowed to keep her that time, in the forest? It would have complicated things, certainly, but she had deserved it and no mistake. In truth, Centaurs were highly intelligent, and masters at astronomy and divination, a skill many wizards dismissed as fleeting and mostly based on chance. Harry knew better, of course, himself being the subject of a prophecy. Harry rolled his eyes. Bloody Trelawney and her prophecy..._

_The fact many wizards believed the awesomely clever goblins to be inferior to wizards, astounded Harry to no end. They ran bloody Gringotts, basically controlling the wizarding world economy, which made them absolutely vital to the progression of society. Furthermore, their skill as metalsmiths, was nothing short of legendary. The objects he was hunting, along with Gryffinor's sword, were clear testaments to that._

_Professor Flitwick would be of invaluable help when it came to holding talks with the goblins, being a half goblin himself. Harry had sometimes wondered how that had happened, or how Hagrid had happened. Goblins were so tiny, and... humans... Harry shook his head. Nope, he was absolutely not going there..._ _The first order of business would be to allow them the use of a wand. While goblins performed their own specific kind of magic, without the aid of a wand, the instrument was a symbol of status, one wizardkind had always denied them._

_As a result, goblins refused to share the secrets of their own magic with wizards. Harry also had to admit, it was pretty foolish to be on such bad terms with the ones who had all your gold. In locked vaults. In the ground. Guarded by dragons. Stupid wizards..._

_Last, but certainly not least, Harry put quill to parchment regarding house elves. The way many House elves had been treated throughout history, made Harry tremble with anger, and he vividly remembered Dobby's bandaged hands and ears, a testament to Lucius Malfoy's mistreatment of the little guy. Harry knew Malfoy's way was not universal, but he suspected it was widespread enough, to be recognized as a problem. And the fact they were bound to their 'masters' and could not be freed unless given clothes, was just cruel._

_Harry hated to admit it, but the way Sirius had treated Kreacher, his own House elf, had a big hand in his godfather's death. Sirius had of course not hated House elves in general, just Kreacher, because he, in Sirius's mind, represented the Black family and Sirius hated everything to do with those people._ _Harry knew it would be impossible to force families to free their House elves. Most of the elves wouldn't even want to be free, but he would try his best to make sure they were treated properly, and laws put in place to severely punish those, who abused them._

_Harry leaned back in the chair. He had written down almost three full pages of all kinds of notes, detailing the promise he'd made Griphook, and what he'd like to to, who to talk to and who the most important people were, how likely he'd be to succeed. Looking at the parchment, Harry was struck with an idea._ _It was perhaps the most radical of all the ideas he had put on that piece of parchment, and had almost no chance of coming to fruition, but he jotted it down there anyway, at the top. Harry rolled up the parchment and put it into his Bag, thinking he'd better give this to Hermione, as soon as possible._

_Thinking about the matter further, he realized how fortunate he was. He was friends with Lupin, Hagrid, Dobby and Firenze. While not exactly friends, he knew he could count on Griphook's assistance in this matter, as well as Professor's Flitwick's. Fleur would be more than willing to help him also, as well as her sister Gabrielle. He had contacts in almost every group of beings, he'd scribbled down on that piece of paper. That only left the vampires._

_Harry walked over to a bookcase, and took out Gryffindor's beastiary; a very thorough book when it came to the many different beings known to live in Great Britain. While it was over a thousand years old and very likely outdated, it might provide him with a reference point as were to start looking for vampires._ _Harry leafed through the giant book, until he found the instalment on vampires, but it provided nothing of note, except on how to kill them. He closed the book and returned it to the case and sat down again, rubbing his chin. He needed to shave soon._

_Suddenly, Harry slapped his forehead in irritation. He was going about this all wrong! Professor Slughorn's Christmas party, the one he'd attended with Luna... What was the name of that writer, who wanted to write his biography? Eldred something... Eldred Worple! He'd lived among vampires, and even befriended one. Sanguini, Harry thought the name was. There was his way in. He'd have to find the man, and get him to reveal the location of the head of the vampire clan._

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_Some time later, Harry Apparated to Diagon Alley, and headed to Flourish and Blott's. It was rather early in the day, so Harry found the store mostly empty. He approached the clerk, and asked him about **'Blood Brothers: My Life Amongst the Vampires'**. Harry reckoned reading the book would be worthwhile, a good way to understand vampires. _

_One of the things Harry had always liked about Flourish and Blott's, was a small section in the back, a sort of café where customers could sit, and read their newly purchased books. Harry found a small table in a corner, with a view of the door, since he liked knowing who entered and who left._

_Harry started on the book, and found it surprisingly fun, to read. Worple's writing style was both vibrant, and easy going, while being interesting and informative at the same time. As Harry suspected, there was no mention at all of where any of the vampires lived. How easy that would have been. What it did give the reader, was an amazing insight into the life of a vampire, and they were not at all what Harry had expected._

_The most commonly held belief, concerning Vampires, was that they needed human blood to survive. While it was true that vampires did in fact require blood in order to live, human blood could easily be replaced, by that of any other mammal. The problem was, that human blood was highly addictive. This was getting very interesting._

_According to the book, vampire attacks had been fairly common in the past, and the fanged creatures were considered to be **the** apex predators for a very long time. They believed it to be so themselves, certainly. Right up until vampire hunters, burst onto the scene in the thirteenth century. Over the course of the next five centuries, the tide turned, and vampires were hunted to such an extent, some believed them to have been driven out of Britain, France, and most of Germany. _

_Such was not the case, however. Around two hundred years ago, the vampire clans of Britain united under one banner, and elected a new head, someone who brought about many changes. He advocated peace, and implored his fellow vampires to accept the fact, that with their few numbers, they could never stand up to wizardkind._

_Some had wanted to go out, and try and convert as many regular humans as possible, but that plan was swiftly swept away, as it was both impractical and would take much to long, since only one person in a thousand that got bitten, actually turned into a vampire. The rest died a horrible, painful death. The new leader, Marcus also understood the ramifications of such a plan._

_On one hand, hunting vampires was both time consuming and expensive, and Marcus was certain if there were no more attacks on humans, wizards would be content with leaving them alone. On the other hand, if vampires would go and redouble their attacks, wizards would bring down fire upon them, the like of which they'd never seen, and almost certainly not stop, until every last vampire had been slain._

_After a peace summit held in an undisclosed location, vampire attacks mostly stopped, and wizards left the vampires alone. They were allowed to roam free and pursue any field of work, they so pleased, under the condition they informed whomever was in charge of any workplace, of their real identity, because vampires had the ability to pass off as regular humans. A little pale and a bit sickly looking, but otherwise indistinguishable from your average human. Unless they smiled._

_The sudden change, did not sit well with a small group of vampires, who still remembered the 'good old days,' when humans cowered in fear. This led to a long and bloody civil war within the vampire community, which, luckily, was fought in secret, known only to a select few wizards and Muggle officials, who were kept informed on the status of the war. Eventually, Marcus emerged victorious, and with victory came an era of peace, which still lasted to this day. That was not to say vampires had it good. Far from it._

_Their lives were filled with prejudice, even though laws were put in place to ensure no being could be discriminated against, based on race, gender, sexual preference or beliefs. While the idea behind these laws was noble, they did little to change the way most non human beings were treated. As was often the case with such laws, they were hardly enforced and people were rarely penalized for breaking them, as prejudices ran rampant in society._

_Harry flipped the last page, and on the inside of the back cover was a picture of Eldred Worple, with his wife and child. They lived in Hereford. As it turned out, Worple was not only a writer, he did some freelance work for both The Quibbler, and The Daily Prophet. Harry closed the book, a small grin on his face. He knew exactly how to get in touch with the writer._

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_Several days later, Harry walked through the doors of Hereford Cathedral. While he was in no way a religious man, Harry still felt a little bit of awe as he walked down the aisle and looked around, his eyes lingering on the man nailed to the cross. Finally, he saw Eldred Worple in a little side room, staring at a large medieval map, which Harry recognized as the Mappa Mundi._

_He made his way over to the room, and stood next to Worple for a minute in silence, before handing him a small bird figurine, which Worple had stashed away in a pre-disclosed location. The writer put it in his pocket, and eyed Harry and his surroundings in a nonchalant manner, obviously well versed in this kind of clandestine meetings. He spoke softly, even though they were alone._

“ _You have information, regarding Harry Potter's whereabouts?”_

“ _No, sorry, I lied about that. I need information I suspect only you can provide me with.”_

_Worple eyed the young man suspiciously, before turning his attention to the map in the display case. There was only one thing that could mean; the man beside him wanted to know about the vampires._

_Well, he was certainly the most knowledgeable person around the UK when it came to his fanged friends, but most of it could be read in his book. He noticed the stranger looking at him with an intense gaze, which made him really uncomfortable, and he cleared his throat nervously._

“ _What can I help you with?”_

“ _I need to get in touch with the vampires, Mr. Worple. Relax, I'm not one of Voldemort's lackeys, in fact, I'm working against him. A man in your profession must have heard something from your contacts in the Aurors, about someone fighting Voldemort. Someone they can't identify, or find. I believe my actions should speak for themselves, Mr. Worple. Perhaps you can tell me, have the vampires been approached by Voldemort yet?”_

_Repressing a shudder at the Dark Lord's name, Eldred Worple arched an eyebrow. This was him? The... Vigilante? Ministry officials had been scratching their heads for months, trying to figure out who this person was. Although, it had to be said, the Aurors had not been overly enthusiastic in their pursuit._ _Particularly since that incident with Greyback. They assumed the vigilante was responsible for that bastard's demise. He really was fighting against Voldemort, so perhaps his cause was just. However, what the man was asking of him was no small thing._

“ _Not to my knowledge, stranger. However, I am not privy to such sensitive information. I do not believe Marcus would join that murdering bastard. Not after all the trouble he went through, to bring the vampire wars to an end. It would make no sense.”_

_Harry nodded, this was perfectly reasonable._ “ _Call me Jack. There have to be some within the vampire community, who'd relish the idea of fighting for Voldemort, if only for a chance at some sort of revenge. I need to speak with the head of the clan to see if there's a danger of vampires suddenly attacking wizards. Fighting one war, is hard enough.”_

“ _I cannot betray-” Worple began, but Harry cut him off._

“ _Voldemort already has the giants on his side, as well as a number of werewolves and the Dementors. Just imagine what he could do, should he gain the support of the vampires, as well. You've seen it already, the effect the Dementors are having. You remember that article in The Prophet the other day, which said that general happiness is down by a sizeable amount, and the people queried could not put their finger on why? At the same time, suicide rates are up as well. This trend started fairly soon after the Dementors left Azkaban, and I'd bet my last knot Voldemort has something to do with it.”_

“ _Why hasn't You-Know-Who sent massive groups of Dementors to attack everyone, then? I assume that would make it a short war.”_

“ _There aren't enough of those soul-sucking fiends for him to do that, so he does the next best thing. He attacks morale,” Harry said. “Think about it, Mr. Worple. Aside from the actual fighting itself, information gathering and supplies, morale is the most important thing in any war. You can imagine how low morale affects people in war, can't you?_

“ _I gave my word, 'Jack'. My honour as a journalist and a writer is at stake here. If people hear about me leaking their secrets, no one will talk to me, again. It will ruin my career.”_

_Harry watched the man out of the corner of his eye. He hated doing this, he truly did. Especially a man of actual principles, which was a refreshing change when considering Harry's dealings with the press had been, up to this point, been mostly limited to Rita Skeeter._

“ _Mr. Worple... Eldred... Think about your family. Your wife is Muggleborn, isn't she?”_

“ _Yes, she is. What of it?.”_

“ _And what do you think Voldemort will do, if he comes to power? At best he'll make Muggleborns wear a star on their sleeve, the same as Hitler did to the Jews. At worst-”_

“ _All right, all right, I'll help you. I will not tell you anything you can't find in my book, I cannot betray Marcus' trust. It may take some time for me to set up a meeting, to convince my friend to speak with a stranger, but I believe I can persuade him, to at least meet with you in a neutral place. Please, come back here in three weeks, and I may have something for you. It cannot happen any sooner, because Marcus is out of the country.”_

“ _Thank you, Mr. Worple.”_

_With that, Harry left the cathedral at a brisk pace. Three weeks... Then he'd have time to look into the Dementors. After mentioning that article to Mr. Worple, he'd not been able to let it fall from his mind. He hated those things, almost as much as he did Riddle. Well, to be honest, his hatred for the enemy had faded and turned into pity, some time past. He was still angry, but he refused to hate him, or anyone._

_His time spent with Gryffindor had certainly helped. Many an evening, they'd spent talking about Riddle and why he'd become what he was and eventually Harry had let go of his hatred. He knew where it led, and he would not allow it to happen. Despite his best efforts, however, he did hate the Dementors. If there ever were things that had no business being a part of the world, it was them._

_Harry felt a shiver as he remembered that evening in the underpass. Dudley lying on the ground, the cold pressing down on him. The unspeakable dread encroaching on his very soul. The feeling of utter helplessness, all the happiness drained out of you. Not dissimilar to the Succubi of legend, who sucked out your life force. Only, they had the decency to make your last moments on this earth pleasurable ones._

_Finding a Dementor should not really be that hard. All he'd have to do was find an area with an unusually high rate of suicides, places with rumours of people falling into a vegetative state, without apparent cause. If a Dementor fed on you for too long, you would eventually become an empty shell, devoid of anything called emotion, or anything, really._

_The ultimate weapon of the Dementor, the **Dementor's Kiss** , sucked out your very soul, a fate worse than death. You would, in essence, cease to exist, yet your shell remained. A fate worse than death, indeed. _ _Harry was faced with another problem. Assuming what he'd heard and read, there was no way to destroy Dementors. You could only hold them at bay, and eventually drive them away with the Patronus charm, supposedly. Harry was not convinced. They weren't spirits, they had physical bodies, so they had to breed, somehow._

_They did not simply grow from thin air. Anything with a physical body, could be destroyed, he was certain. But if he took this train of thought further, he had to wonder why there was no record of someone killing those fiends. Was there really no one in history who'd managed to kill one? That didn't seem plausible at all, either._

_He was headed for uncharted waters once more. All he could do was to find one, and try. He was certain he could fight against their effects for long enough, to try and destroy one. They fed on your happiness, so it seemed a good bet you'd be able to fight it by focusing on memories you felt strongly about, but did not make you happy. Well, he had those in abundance, and his Occlumency might come in handy._

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_About a week later, around ten o'clock in the evening, Harry walked along a deserted street in Liverpool, his sword strapped to his back and a chocolate bar in his coat pocket. Always good to have a nice piece of chocolate around, especially when you were hunting Dememtors. He'd been travelling all over the place, in the days since his meeting with Mr.Worple, trying to find a Dementor. So far, he'd been without luck._

_Harry grinned like a maniac. How crazy was it to go out and **look** for Dementors? He thought the chances of finding, at least one of those things in this city were rather good. The city was in a bit of a slump, and it did not help matters that Liverpool and Everton, were apparently both having a rather dismal go of it, in the Premier League. At any rate, he was getting frustrated. He wanted to be looking for Ravenclaw's diadem, but he had no leads whatsoever. He had one theory, but he'd not had the time to explore it, yet._

_Harry walked on, grumbling about what he'd rather be doing, when he felt the temperature drop very suddenly. He stopped short and let out a breath, which came out in a cloud of steam. He heard several people take a sharp breath, from around the next corner, followed by a scream that was cut short. Harry sprinted towards the corner, unsheathing his sword as he went._

_As Harry came around the corner, found himself in a dead end. He noticed a trio of Dementors at once, all of whom had placed their hands on three homeless people, who seemed to make the alley their home. The Dementors leaned in, preparing to unleash their ultimate power, when Harry rushed them, blade at the ready._

“ _Hey! Get away from them, you filthy bastards!”_

_The three fiends floated away from their intended targets, and focused their attention on Harry as he came charging down the a wide alley. The three homeless men stared at Harry, who motioned for them to flee, which they did, at a dead run. As Harry closed in, the air became colder and colder until it became freezing. It had been raining earlier, so the ground was slippery, ice forming as the air cooled._

_Harry slowed down to a cautious walk. He did not relish the idea of falling on his arse. He knew they would descend upon him in a flash if he did. By now, the Dementors had fanned out and surrounded him almost completely. Harry assumed they were somewhat confused by his actions, as most people either ran for their lives, or simply folded in a heap. Well, he would not be such easy pickings._

_Suddenly, one of the Dementors dived sharply towards Harry, its arms extended. Harry formed a fireball, and flung it at the Dementor's head, catching it by surprise. The ball exploded into the Dementor's face, causing its cloak to catch fire. Arms flailing, the evil being staggered away. It thumped against a wall, and Harry dashed forward, slashing diagonally with his sword along the front of the Dementor's torso._

_The shrill scream that followed as the thing crumbled, surprised Harry and sent shivers down his spine, threatening to burst his eardrums. Harry did not pause, however and spun away when he felt a Dementor closing in on his back. He thrust his left hand forward, and sent a spear of air toward his enemy, which caused it to stumble. Harry's sword pierced it through its center mass, and it sank limply down to the floor of the alley._

_He hoped the frantic pace would prevent the monsters from using their powers. He made sure to focus completely on his movements, using his Occlumency to that effect. Harry used the opportunity to search for the third one. He looked frantically all over, but did not find it. Those bloody things made no sound whatsoever and he could not smell them, either._

_He turned around, his back to the wall where the first Dementor had fallen, his eyes roaming across what little sky he could see from the alley floor. The third one appeared on the other side, its gaze levelled at him unwavering from within the hood. It floated his way slowly. Harry's hand tightened its grip on his sword, and a fireball formed in his left palm. He took a single step forward, when he suddenly felt unnaturally long fingers, close around his throat._

_He was drenched in more cold than he'd ever felt, in his entire life. It snuffed out the fire in his hand, while he almost dropped the sword from the other. A sinking, desperate feeling washed over him when he saw the fallen Dementor rise from the alley floor, before joining its companion in front of him. How was this possible? He had felt the sword pierce through what little flesh there was on that thing, and even heard the flames sear the skin of the other, who now held him by the neck._

_Harry started to panic. He wanted to raise his hand and pry the fingers loose, but what was the point? They would simply overpower him again, and again, if that was required. How could he have been so arrogant to think that he, a mere human could defeat such a being? Harry struggled weakly, but could not bring himself to fight._

_The grip with which the Dementor held Harry was not strong, but then, it didn't have to be. Their psychic powers kept people from struggling much, if at all. Similar to the way an insect relied on its poison, to weaken the prey and make it docile._

_Harry watched with horror as the other two floated even closer, their pace agonizingly slow. His mind reeled from their relentless attacks. Images floated across his mind, each one more depressing than the one that came before it. Harry felt tears forming in his eyes, as his mental shields evaporated._

_He didn't want to die. Or did he? Perhaps, it would be for the best. What good was he, anyway? Betrayer of friends and a murderer. Images of himself killing Greyback and the other two werewolves, danced in his eyes. He hadn't had any choice! They would have killed both him and Lupin, and perhaps countless others! Had there not been a choice? Perhaps, he was just as bad as Riddle, he wondered when the pained visage of Quirinius Quirrell, flashed across his mind._

_Finally, the pair of Dementors had reached Harry, and one of them raised its hands to the hood covering its head, and revealed the hideous face hidden beneath the flimsy cloth. It had a greyish hue, and pasty looking skin. The skin partly covered the empty eye sockets, as if melted wax had been poured all over them._

_Harry's eyes followed a long, narrow and pointy nose down to a mouth that had no lips, and no teeth, just a gaping hole. The Dementor placed its hands on Harry's head, who found some strength and started to struggle faintly. This caused the hand on Harry's neck to squeeze harder, blocking his windpipe._

_This seemed to snap Harry out of his stupor. He lifted his left hand, and pushed the Dementors away as hard as he could. He then grabbed the hand covering his neck and broke a pair of fingers, before reaching back to throw the shocked Dementor over his shoulder. As the fiend flew over his shoulder, Harry launched it toward the far wall, with a well timed spear of wind._

_He felt his mind flood with memories, and feelings for his friends. Keep your friends close, Snape had said. Not that he'd ever admit it, but Snape had been very right. Harry felt absolutely elated, as his heart filled with emotion and passion for **life**. He became aware of the three Dementors swiftly gliding toward him once more, not willing to relinquish their prey. _

_Harry smiled weakly. He would meet his friends again. Oh yes, he would. In a world free of Riddle. He raised his sword, thoughts of his friends driving him and for some reason, the memory of cradling Narcissa in his arms floated across his mind, as well. He pointed the sword at the Dementors, and from the tip burst forth a massive silver stag._

_The three fiends staggered and stopped, before trying to flee. The stag was faster, however. It charged the Dementors at great speed and before they could get away, the elegant animal skewered them with its antlers. Their screams echoed in the night, before fading away as they twitched in their death throes._

_Harry sagged against the wall and watched Dementors simply fade away, leaving only their tattered cloaks as evidence of their existence. The stag trotted over to Harry, and stared down at him, a peaceful feeling radiating from it. Harry pushed off the wall, and raised his hand toward the animal. He'd seen his Patronus before, of course, but this time it was different._

_It was much larger than before, and more solid. The crown was much bigger, and more majestic than before. It felt more alive, if that made any sense. Harry softly touched the stag's nose, and the animal gently nuzzled his hand. Harry's mind cleared, and he felt immeasurably better. It was almost as if the Patronus was feeding happiness into his soul. The animal stepped back, and looked at Harry for a moment, before there was a flash of light._

_Once the light faded, there was tall, silvery and statuesque woman standing in front of Harry, next to Prongs. She had long, wavy hair that shone brighter than the rest of her. She was wearing a lose fitting toga, held together in the middle with a fine belt. In her right hand, she was holding a sword, exactly like Harry's own, and in her left, she was carrying a heater shield, adorned with a variant of the symbol of the goddess Freyja._

_The woman approached Harry, and gently brushed his cheek with her knuckles, before she placed a hand on his chest. There was a slight pulse of light, and Harry felt the rest of the cold and sadness fade. She flashed him a brilliant smile, then turned and mounted Prongs, and the pair bounded away, fading as they did._

_Harry found a box to the side of the alley and took a seat, resting his sword across his knees. He shook his head, wearily. So his Patronus had changed. What next? That fight had been a close one, and he understood he really was in over his head. Most of the time, anyway. Oh, and he'd need to be careful of the arrogance that cropped up, sometimes. On a positive note; he did not look like he had gone through a meat grinder, so that was something. A slight chill had returned to his body. He reached into his pocket, and tore open the bar of chocolate._

_He broke of a piece, and let it melt in his mouth. A warm feeling spread through his body, and he smiled. He remembered that time when Lupin had given him a piece of chocolate on the Hogwarts Express, after his first encounter with the hellish Dementors. Lupin and Tonks... Perhaps he should pay them a visit soon, since they knew his secret, and he could definitely do with some company._

_He took a another bite of the chocolate, his mind wandering to the fight once more. Again, he'd been arrogant and overconfident, something he had to be wary of. He also needed to think more before charging in like that, else he'd meet an untimely end. One good thing had come of this fight, though. He'd established the fact that Dementors could not be destroyed with physical weapons. It had been an experiment, anyway, one which further research was required, done by someone wiser than him. Hermione, perhaps?_

_In the end, he was happy that, at least it hadn't been a complete waste of time, the time he'd spent looking for the things; there were three fewer Dementors in the world. Well, he'd head home for now, and wait for the time to meet Mr. Worple again. But first, he wanted to talk to the person who had witnessed the fight._

_There was a loud crack at the mouth of the alley, and Harry recognized the tell tale sound of Alastor Moody's wooden prosthetic. Harry relaxed and leaned back against the wall. He was too tired to care about Moody learning his secret. He had been planning on contacting the retired Auror in regards to the Snatchers, anyway. He'd been putting it off, because Moody's magical eye would instantly see through any disguise._

_Besides, the old man had been watching the fight and most likely recognized his Patronus, so now was a great time to talk to him. The fact was, any fight against the Snatchers was bound to be anything but pleasant, and he needed help from someone more experienced, when attacking them. The old man finally stood before him, and stared at him in stoic silence. Harry looked right back at the grizzled fighter, and smiled wearily._

“ _Moody.”_

“ _Potter.”_

“ _Want to have a seat? There's a right comfy looking crate over there, to your left. I would offer you some chocolate, but it seems I ate it all. Sorry. I could have used your help earlier, you know. I almost got kissed and let me tell you, the girl was not my type.”_

_Moody stared at the young man in front of him. So the boy had known he was watching, eh? This new Potter really was something else. He'd been watching the battle before, a few rooftops away. A nice advantage of his magical eye, the ability to zoom in on whatever he was watching. The kid could fight, of that there was no doubt and he was smart enough, not to use his wand, as it could be tracked; the trace had never been deactivated._

_Of course, that same wand was safely tucked away at Grimmauld Place, anyway, hidden by the wards. And this transformation was nothing, if not fascinating. If you cared about that kind of thing, which he did not. All he cared about at the moment, was that Potter seemed to be all right._

“ _Constant vigilance, boy! You were sloppy! Never allow the enemy to get behind you like that! It's a death sentence, when you're in a melee,” The old Auror growled. “Now, what the bloody hell were you thinking, going after those things without a wand? You tired of life, Potter?”_

_Harry cocked a curious eyebrow and shrugged, obviously not wanting to talk about that. “That's it? No lectures on how irresponsible I've been, or how much trouble I've caused?”_

_Moody chuckled wryly as he sat down next to Harry and took a swig from his flask. He passed it to the boy, who took a swig himself. He eyed the metal container in his hands. Chocolate milk? Really? Well, it made sense if he was there looking for Dementors, but still. He gave Moody a questioning look as he passed the flask over. Moody harrumphed._

“ _I don't drink alcohol, boy. I might be caught unawares. And to answer your other question; nay, I'm not going to lecture you. You're a grown man, not some snot nosed brat, though I will admit I was less than happy, when you disappeared. Besides, I'm fairly certain our resident Metamorphmagus gave you an earful, when you brought Lupin back home. You've been awful busy since last spring, haven't you, boy?”_

“ _I suppose. What are you doing here, Moody? Looking for Dementors?”_

“ _Aye, lad. An old schoolmate, working in the Muggle healthcare business contacted me, wondering if something new was afoot on our side of the curtain. Apparently there's been a bit of a spike in suicides around here recently, and they can't figure out why.” Harry nodded along with Moody. Riddle had not been too aggressive in his attacks on Muggles, but someone was bound to realize something was going on._

_Moody passed the flask once more, and Harry took a long swig. “Hey, since you're here, I was wondering if you were up for some action on, say Thursday night?”_

_Moody slipped the flask into his coat, eyeing the young man as he did. “What did you have in mind, Potter?”_

“ _I'm going after the Snatchers. I'm getting tired of those bastards. Going after people simply because they're Muggle born? Fuckers. I know their base is in the Forest of Dean, somewhere. I also know Umbridge has her fingers in that pie, but unless she's there, I don't see how we can do anything about her, unfortunately. Anyway, you up for it?”_

_Moody frowned darkly. Bloody Snatchers and their list of 'undesirables', which annoyingly enough, had a lot of Order members on it. All of the Weasleys were on there, except young Ginny, since she was still in school and fairly safe, for the moment. Himself was there as well as Tonks and Lupin and Granger, and a few others._ _Shack had managed to stay ahead of it, until he became fed up and resigned from the DMLE. Messing with the Snatcher's operations would help the Order significantly. Order members would be able to move around more freely with fewer people actively watching them._

“ _So, Greyback gave them up, before you put him down, did he? Well done there, lad! Well done indeed. None of the Snatchers we have caught seemed to know where the base was. Some form of Obliviation we have never seen. Of course I'm willing to go after them. I hate those bloody bastards. The two of us are not enough, though, and I am not suicidal enough to try. Let me bring Lupin, Shacklebolt and the two oldest Weasley brothers, and we're good to go.”_

_Harry nodded reluctantly. Moody was right. With the sheer number the Snatchers had at their disposal, assaulting their base of operations with just Moody would be too reckless. And with that the pair went their separate ways._

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_Moody arrived at the Burrow, to find all available Order members there, as he requested. He motioned for them to join him in the dining room, and sat down at the head of the table. He sighed inwardly as he scanned the faces of the people, who were looking at him expectantly. His gaze lingered on the current Headmistress of Hogwarts. How he had ever let the girl talk him into taking over from Dumbledore, as the leader of this little group, he would never understand._

“ _I've some news,” he began. “The Dementors were most definitely in Liverpool, in high numbers, but I expect them to avoid the city for now.”_

_As usual, Granger leaned forward, and stared at him excitedly. “And why is that?”_

_Moody smirked. He liked the lass quite a bit. A good head on her shoulders, not to mention brave. He was quite certain she would get a rush from this, then. He casually tossed a torn, threadbare piece of pitch black cloth, onto the table. Granger, followed by the rest of those at the table, looked upon it curiously._

“ _What is it?” she asked._

“ _I just watched our friend, the vigilante destroy a trio of Dementors, lass. Not drive them away. Dead. Gone. Nothing left, but this thing here.”_

_The room descended into pin-drop silence. Wide eyes stared at Mad-Eye as if he was... Well, mad. Hermione, however was immediately curious. You could not kill Dementors! It was impossible. Right? Every book, test and research on the subject had proven as much. Admittedly, the wizarding world was nowhere near as studious about the world and its trappings, as the Muggles were._

_Muggles always strove forwards, asking themselves 'why' and 'how', and most technological advances, came about because of the need to overcome some problem. Wizards tended not to do that and Hermione suspected it was mostly due to the fact that a lot of wizards explained things away with phrases like 'it's magic'._

_She huffed quietly. Wizards were just plain lazy. There was an obvious reason why most innovations in the magical community over the last fifty years or so, had been put forth by Muggleborns, and half bloods. Looking at the cloth again, she asked the obvious question._

“ _How?”_

_Moody favoured her with a predatory smile, before answering the question. “I've not idea how it actually works, but they were shredded by what must have been the most solid Patronus, I have ever seen. They did not stand a chance. It was quite the spectacle. Once it was over, I had a nice chat with Him.”_

_He gazed over the group again. “Which leads me to the other thing I wanted to discuss with you this evening. He asked for my assistance in a matter which he felt required our attention. He's gained knowledge of the Snatchers' base of operations and is planning a raid Thursday evening. I told him I would help, but only if I could bring more people.”_

_This revelation was met with an excited buzz. Every member sitting at the table had been anxious to have a proper go at them, especially after what happened with Ted Tonks. There had been little action, however, aside from a scrap or two, since the Order was mostly a reactive group. The chance to be on the offensive end, for once was welcomed heartily by everyone there. Moody raised his hand for silence._

“ _If you are willing, Remus, Shack, Bill and Charlie, I would like for you to accompany me.”_

“ _What!?”_

_Tonks shot out of her chair, which fell over with a crash. She was glaring fiercely at the grizzled old man, and her hair turned a deep red. He was going to deny her a chance of going after the bastards who killed her father? Absolutely not. She would have some measure of vengeance. She stared at Moody for a while longer, before she felt her husband's hand on hers, pulling her gently down to her seat. Moody looked firmly at his former protégé._

“ _You're too involved, Tonks, you know that. I need people who I know will have a level head, and your husband, for one, will be distracted by your presence. This is a big operation and a chance we have been waiting for and we can't fuck it up. Now, I have made my decision, and I expect you to respect my authority, rookie!”_

_Tonks glared angrily at Moody,then hung her head. He was right, of course. Besides, she needed to be here, ready to heal anyone who was sent back to this place. She gave a resigned sigh and sat back in her chair, prompting her husband to put an arm around her shoulders, hugging her to him._

_After Tonks' outburst, the meeting went without further incident; the rest of the Order members accepted Moody's decision without question. He valued their opinions, but ultimately, he had the final say in every big decision that was made._

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_Harry crouched down at the edge of the clearing, watching the old, abandoned manor house closely. It was hidden by the trees rather effectively, but there were strong Muggle repelling wards surrounding the property, as well as anti Apparition wards and anti Portkey charms. The perimeter wards were pretty bad, so they would not have much trouble getting past them unnoticed._

_He glanced at the Order members at his side. They had met up with him at a predetermined location outside the forest, a while ago and to Harry's surprise, it had gone without a hitch. Harry had decided to don a mask this night, because he'd be surrounded by people he knew, and the chances of one of them recognizing him were high. Harry had already scouted ahead and gathered the necessary information, which he relayed to his temporary team mates._

“ _They have superior numbers. No fewer than twenty, I reckon, and a few prisoners. No Umridge, though. We cannot underestimate them, but we all know these idiots are lacking in talent and intellect is not very valued in that group, either. They make up for that in numbers.” Moody nodded; he was of a mind with Potter on that one._

“ _I say we attack from three sides, in pairs,” Moody suggested. Harry shook his head at that, and the retired Auror gave him the word._

“ _I was thinking I might simply stroll up to the front door and announce my presence with a bit of a show. They're deathly afraid of me and I can keep their attention long enough to allow you to slip in unnoticed. Wait until they come out to meet me. Don't worry, Scabior is dimwitted enough to send them out. The prisoners are our priority, and I want you to focus on them.”_

“ _And you? What will you be doing?” Remus asked with concern._

“ _I am going after Scabior, I don't want that fucking coward getting away. We get him and the whole thing falls apart. Most of the Snatchers are bloody cowards, just like their second in command. Hit them hard enough and they will run and find themselves a nice hole and stay there. Umbridge is so bloody incompetent, there's no chance she'll be able to keep it all together by herself.”_

_Moody had to agree with the lad. It was a solid plan, if a bit risky. For Potter, mostly. Bill removed a small device from his pocket and performed a series of complex wand movements. The thing in his hand glowed and Harry felt a small tremor in his senses. Bill pocketed the device and gave a thumbs up._

“ _I 'borrowed' it from the goblins. It allows their curse breakers to quickly deactivate a isolated parts of certain wards without being discovered, if they are simple enough. I figured it might come in handy.”_

_Harry smirked at Bill. Smart and competent; a winning combination. He'd always liked Bill a lot, even though he had only met him a few times. He hoped things were good with him and Fleur, but was a bit concerned over how faint Fleur's scent was on him. Discarding the thought for now, Harry got to his feet as the others tapped their wands on their heads and disillusioned themselves and followed Harry through the gap in the wards._

_While he strode down the path to the front of the building, the others fanned out, making their way to windows and doors. Harry gathered power into his arm guards, until they were positively humming. Time to make his presence known._ _He wanted to draw as many of the Snatchers out of the building as possible. Not only would it place the others on the team in less danger, it would also give them greater chance to release the prisoners, and help them escape._

“ _Hey! Scabior, you rotten bastard! You in there?” Harry made a fist and the double doors exploded outward, as well as a few windows on each side. Harry heard gasps and the shuffling of feet from inside before someone shouted back._

“ _Who... Who goes there? Don't you know who we are?”_

_Harry smirked at that. “You know exactly who I am, so stop with the bloody games. Did you honestly think I would never go after you idiots once I got rid of Greyback?” Scabior tried to put up a brave front and laughed. It came out as a nervous squeak._

“ _We... We have twenty five of our best men here! You are completely outmatched. Go back where you came from, and you may live a little longer! If you don't, we execute the prisoners!”_

_Harry's sensitive ears found a few Snatchers exiting the building under a disillusionment charm, ten of them, or so. Harry raised an eyebrow at that. Only ten? Well, the team would have no problem dealing with the rest of them, then._

_Harry suddenly spun in a circle and sent a gust of wind in all directions and effectively broke the disillusionment charm his enemies had placed upon themselves. He rolled forward as a number of stunners came roaring his way and, judging by the colour; a bone shattering hex. Harry was a bit surprised. **Ossus fractionis** was a fairly powerful spell. _

_He barely dodged another curse, this one a sickly orange. He could practically feel the power radiating from the spell. As Harry came out of his roll, he tore a small rock from the ground and sent it shooting into the head of the nearest Snatcher, who went down hard and did not move after that. Harry smelled blood in the air and wondered if he'd killed the man, as he twirled around another curse. Yep, the man was not breathing._

_He winced. He had not intended to kill anyone. Another two went down from a well placed stone to the head, but Harry caught a bludgeoning hex to the side of the head, causing him to stumble and he became slightly dizzy. He dropped to the ground and a **Bombarda** sailed over his head and impacted one of his enemies in the chest, which exploded. Harry was beginning to understand that the group of men he was fighting were not Snatchers. He was fighting full blown Death Eaters. Well, fuck. It was a bloody trap. After all that time? It was surprising, but more of an annoyance than anything else._

_Trying to keep one ear on what was going on inside, Harry was pleased to hear that his group was already engaging the enemy with great success. Seemed like all the Death Eaters were out here with him. Aaaw, he felt positively special, now. All the prettiest girls came out to play with him? Well, perhaps it was time to get serious._

_Harry channelled power into his arm guard and slammed his fist into the ground, which resulted in a mini earthquake. The resulting tremors and shock wave knocked three of the remaining six Death Eaters off their feet._ _Harry darted over to the nearest one and slammed his foot onto the man's face, eliminating him from the fight. Before the rest of them could recover, Harry had taken out the other two he knocked down, as well. Harry turned to face the rest, who backed away slowly._

_Harry ignited a pair of fireballs in his palms. There was no rush, as the fighting inside was over, Moody was yelling at Scabior, and the Snatcher answered in a shaking voice. Harry had lost his taste for this fight, seeing how Scabior had been caught and the prisoners freed._

_The young man advanced on the Death Eaters once more, his intent clear; he was going to finish this fight right there and then. Harry threw his fireballs at the three Death Eaters, who scrambled out of the way._ _Harry noted one of the men fumble with some kind of contraption, and felt as the rest of the wards came crashing down, and the men Apparated away. He clicked his tongue, annoyed. Harry idly wondered whether they would return to their master and the suffering they would undoubtedly endure once he learned of their failure._

_Shrugging in indifference, Harry made his way to the house, and into the doorway. The Snatchers had been placed under full body binds and Moody held onto Scabior and each of the team members held onto a freed prisoner, most of whom were in bad shape. Among them was one Dean Thomas. Harry frowned darkly at seeing one of his friends. Even if they had never been close, Dean was a decent enough bloke._

“ _Well, this was a success, lad. As you can see, the prisoners are going to need medical attention. We will Apparate them to St. Mungo's and-” Moody stopped talking when Harry put up his hand. He'd heard someone Apparate in. One of the fallen men was enervated and he heard muffled voices outside. He then heard a scream as someone was placed under the Cruciatus and the insane cackle that followed could only belong to one person._

“ _Get out of here now. Bellatrix is here. You all know what she's capable of. I'll hold her off. And don't come back here, you hear me!?” Right then, a tremor shook the house. The Order members took one glance at one another with uncertainty. None of them wanted to leave the lad alone with that crazy woman. Another tremor._

“ _Come out, come out, where ever you are,” Bellatrix chanted in that annoying, baby like voice, the same she had used that night at the Department of Mysteries. She was not foolish enough to come into the building, so she was trying to bait them out of it. Harry eyed the door, then his team mates._

“ _GO!” he snarled at them._

_They gave him one last look, before Apparating away, taking the freed prisoners to safety. Harry wondered why Bellatrix had come here alone. That was not accepted Death Eater policy. The cowards always attacked in numbers, preferably much greater than that of the opposition so that there was no chance of defeat._ _He crawled to a window and saw the green light of the killing curse, as she murdered the three men that had survived the fight and lay on the ground. Harry shuddered. Absolutely bonkers. He got up and walked out of the building._

“ _Hello, Bellatrix. Having fun?”_

_Bellatrix turned slowly and smiled at him, her rotten teeth showing. Despite the situation, Harry wondered why the woman had not fixed her teeth, or done something for her hair, that lay limply down to her back. Or AK'd herself..._

_She walked over, her hips swaying enticingly. Harry's eyes involuntarily roamed over her body and he realized, she did have attractive curves, but she was still as thin as before. She really needed to put on some weight, Harry thought. Then he remembered that time he'd been inside Riddle's head, and was promptly pulled back to reality. She winked at him as she noticed his eyes on her body._

“ _Like what you see, luv? ”_

_Harry snorted. Flirting? Now? Hardly the time for it, to be honest. Then again, Bellatrix revelled in death and destruction, so was it really such a stretch to find this was the kind of thing that got her going? Fine, he could play._

“ _You're too skinny, Bellatrix. Your sister Narcissa, however... Now, there is a fine woman!”_

_Bellatrix snarled a curse, which saw Harry dive from the doorway and onto the ground, the debris from the shattered wall raining down on the steps below. He rolled and sent a spear of wind her way, which Bellatrix countered with a wind spell of her own, before sending a Cruciatus his way. Harry raised a small patch of earth to block the curse and sent the resulting rubble at her in return..._

000000

_Bellatrix watched as her **Cruciatus** sailed toward her opponent, only to be blocked by a patch of earth rising from the ground, the rubble of which he sent her way with a wave of his arm. She transfigured the rubble to a bunch of feathers, which harmlessly floated in the air. _ _With incredible speed, she sent several curses his way, a mix of bone shattering, cutting and exploding curses. She watched on as her opponent jumped, rolled and twisted out of the way, only catching a cutting curse to the side of the cheek, which barely fazed him, since he turned with the beam._

_How was he performing all of this magic without a wand? Unimportant at the moment. All that mattered was the battle she was engaged in. The way he moved sent shivers down her spine, his movements were graceful and efficient and he was smart and decisive. Not to mention extremely powerful, very closely matched to herself, she thought. Possibly even stronger._

_She had wanted to fight him ever since he had managed to free her sister, nephew and that traitor Snape all those months ago and made a complete fool out of her. The resulting punishment had not been pleasant, nor had her 'exile' been any better._

_She had gotten lucky before and intercepted the fools that had escaped from the fight earlier and they had told her of him. Then she had stunned them. No one was going to interrupt their battle. She had Apparated immediately, not waiting another moment, lest she miss her chance. Neither her master or husband would be happy with her, but she would not be denied._

_She felt the familiar burning sensation of the Mark, compelling her to return to her master, and she could almost feel his rage, but she ignored it. She could, on occasion resist the urge to obey, but it was hard and she felt herself slowly losing the battle, made all the worse by the knowledge that her master would be most displeased. Perhaps he would even send her away again? She felt saddened at the thought, but she needed to finish this._

_Bellatrix shot a freezing spell at an incoming fireball which the man fired at her from his right palm, the other flinging a big rock her way, which she levitated to the side, before sending an entrails exploding curse his way, followed by an organ liquifier which he dodged with ease._ _She giggled happily, despite her looming punishment. Oh, this was worth almost anything. She had always been gifted at duelling and she was having so much fun! Her opponent was forcing her to give it her all!_

_The last time she'd had this much fun was when she had fought her cousin at the Ministry. He'd not hated it, either. Unfortunately, he'd been overconfident and she'd killed him, ending their fun far too quickly._ _She moved to cast a blood boiling curse at her opponent, but instead wailed in disappointment as the searing pain of her master's call became too much to ignore and she gave her opponent a sorrowful glance, before she Apparated away._

000000

_Bellatrix reappeared at Malfoy Manor, a bit breathless. What a wonderful fight it had been! Exhilarating, even. How she desired a rematch! The things she would do to the young man when she defeated him... A moan of pleasure escaped her lips. Oh, yes, she would play with him, and take him as her own, once she had broken him. With an effort, she calmed herself, and strode briskly into the manor, steeling herself for the punishment she knew was coming her way. As soon as she entered the 'throne room', she was hit with a Cruciatus and she crashed to the floor and writhed pitifully in all encompassing agony as her master let his displeasure be known._

_Half a minute later, an eternity, the curse was lifted. Bellatrix twitched for a while on the floor, before she managed to get up on her knees. Her master's pet, Nagini slithered around the room, hissing at everything and nothing, the possibility of a meal exciting the snake. Had she been able, Bellatrix would have shivered. She had always hated that disgusting thing._

“ _I am sorely disappointed, Bellatrix,” her master said in his hissing voice. “Because of your actions, we missed a golden opportunity to capture that annoying little fly that has been frustrating our plans. We could have sent our best, but the chance is lost. What do you have to say for yourself?” Bellatrix pressed her forehead to the floor in total submission._

“ _Don't bother answering, Bellatrix. There's no excuse for such behaviour. He bested you before, and you wanted revenge. Understandable, I suppose, but for you to let you emotions overpower my commands? That, I cannot forgive. **Crucio!** ” _

_Some time later, Bellatrix appeared at a Death Eater safe house in London, still twitching from her master's punishment. He had sent her away, only to return if he called her. He had only done so twice before. The first time, after her failure to procure the prophecy from the Ministry, had lasted for weeks. And the second time; after the events at Malfoy manor earlier and her exile had been even longer that time. She could only hope it would not be so long this time._

_After all, her sole purpose for living was to serve her master, which she could not do if she was not in his good graces. It made her physically ill, to be apart from her master for too long. Sighing she sat down, at the dinner table, her chin in her hands and a wistful smile adorned her face. In the end, she deemed the fight worth the punishment. Most fun she'd had in a long time, indeed._

000000

_Harry ate his breakfast, thinking of the night of his raid on the Snatchers. According to Moody, no permanent damage had been done to any of the prisoners, for which Harry was grateful. After the fight with Bellatrix, Harry had left, as Aurors had arrived at the scene, to take away those that were left behind, and Harry had to wonder how long it would be until they joined the fray, once more._

_Days, weeks? Moody told him they had taken care of Scabior. In what way, Harry did not not know, and he had not cared enough, to ask. All he knew, was that the man was out of the fight, and that was good enough for him. After that, he had told the grizzled man a bit of his fight with Bellatrix, before bidding Moody a fond farewell, and they had gone their separate ways._

_Harry cleaned his plate and put it away. He was supposed to meet Eldred Worple today, at Hereford Cathedral. If all went well, he'd be meeting with Marcus, the head of the vampire clan soon. He had to stay focused, as it was a very important meeting. He kept asking himself, though, what gave him the right to go out and make deals and negotiate with other beings, for the rest of wizardkind?_

_Was it right of him to go about as some kind of negotiator? True, he was only asking them not to join Tom Riddle, but he was not foolish enough to think he'd not have to make promises. No one did anything for nothing, after all._

_He had already sent Griphook a letter, detailing the changes he wanted to advocate if he found himself in the position to change anything. For some reason, the fight with the Dementors had really gotten him going on that front. He had spent the week not doing much but meditate and scribble more notes on how he wanted to change things for the better, for those who were hard done by in the magic world._

_He laughed softly to himself. He had been channelling his inner Hermione, these past few days. Her organisation, S.P.E.W, also known as Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare came to mind. While her heart had been in the right place, her methods had been somewhat less than agreeable. Overzealous might be a fitting word for it. Hiding those knitted hats and socks, where the house elves would pick them up by accident had not been a good idea._

_Harry laughed out loud, when he remembered Dobby walking around with a bloody tower of the things on the top of his head. He even gave some of them to poor Winky. On a more serious note, the house elves took pride in their work around Hogwarts, and had been offended to the point where they stopped cleaning the Gryffindor dorm, leaving poor Dobby alone to do all the work. And Winky, on the days she was almost sober._

_Harry washed his plate and utensils, deep in thought. Poor little Winky... Barty Crouch Sr. had freed her against her will, and it had destroyed her. She had turned to drink, to try deal with the severe depression of not being employed by the Crouch family any longer. Forced freedom wasn't any kind of freedom and if you didn't embrace it, freedom could be as oppressive as any chain or shackles._

_Harry ran a hand through his hair, annoyed. He was bloody nervous and as a result, his thoughts were all over the place. Why was he so nervous? He had not been this nervous when he went for Slytherin's locket, nor had he been, that time when he fought Greyback. He was fairly confident in Mr. Worple's insistence that the clan leader would not come to this meeting looking to renew hostilities. That did not mean it could not go disastrously wrong, however._

_000000_

_Harry entered the cathedral at noon. He had arrived a little earlier, and found a bench a ways off from the entrance to the cathedral. He'd kept tabs on comings and goings and so far he had not seen anyone overly suspicious enter the building. Once he saw Mr. Worple enter, he quickly did the same, wanting the meeting over with, so that the man could go about his life in what little peace one could find in these trying times._

_As soon as Harry entered the room which held the Mappa Mundi, he could tell something wasn't quite right. Mr. Worple was there, exploring the map, much the same way he had the last time they met. Harry stopped for a moment and looked at the writer with concern. He looked like Mr. Worple, but his movements and overall mannerisms weren't the same._

_Also, the man was sweating and he was nervous and he did not smell right, either. It could be the occasion was getting Worple this worked up, but Harry doubted it, since the man had clearly shown he was used to these kinds of meetings._

_The Polyjuice potion was a very tricky one to make and it was even harder to identify someone who'd ingested it. They had obviously had the potion ready before Harry had met Mr. Worple the first time, after all, it took a full lunar cycle to make the Polyjuice potion. Someone had tried to lay a trap for him, obviously._

_But where was the real Eldred Worple then? Harry's mind was racing with the possibilities, none of which were appealing. He would have to play along for now, in order find Mr. Worple. He approached the older man warily and stopped right next to him by the map. The other man eyed Harry before turning his attention back to the map._

“ _You're late, 'Jack'”_

_Harry frowned thoughtfully. If this man knew about his alias, they had definitely gotten to Worple. Harry cursed himself. If he had thought of contacting Eldred Worple, then Riddle would have, also. It was the easiest way to locate Marcus, after all. It was too much of a hassle to kidnap a high level Ministry employee, even if Riddle controlled most of the government._

_Another question wormed its way into Harry's mind, as he contemplated his options. Why hadn't Mr. Worple gone into hiding? Surely, a smart man like him would have realised the danger he was in, given the knowledge he possessed. Realising he'd been quiet too long, Harry answered the impostor._

“ _Sorry about that, couldn't be helped. Were you successful in arranging a meet with the clan leader, Mr. Worple?”_

_The man passed him a folded piece of paper. “Yes. He will meet you at this address, tonight.”_

_Mr. Worple's doppleganger stormed out of the cathedral after that and left Harry alone in the room. Harry walked over to a nearby pew and sat down, unfolding the note as he did. The meet was to take place at a pub in London, after midnight. It made sense, Harry supposed, the other party being vampires, and all._

_Assuming any vampires would be there at all, he would be at a major disadvantage. He'd more than likely be meeting up with a bunch of Death Eaters, eager to introduce him to their master. Harry folded the note and put it in his pocket as he got to his feet._

_He walked down the aisle, toward the massive doors. Before he left, he turned and gazed at the man nailed to the cross. He had no choice. If he was going to find Mr. Worple, he would have to go to this supposed meeting, spring the trap, and hope for the best. He contemplated calling his friends, but decided against it. He got himself into this mess; he'd get himself out of it._

000000

_That evening, Harry found himself on a rooftop, close to the pub wherein the meeting would take place. There were two men outside the house, both of whom were obviously guards. He had not managed to get there, ahead of time, so he had no idea of what to expect. Harry steeled himself, walked over to the fire escape and down the the alley on the other side. Before he left the alley, however, he heard footsteps from around the corner, preceded by a weird, dead sort of feeling._

_He readied himself. The man who rounded the corner was tall, and somewhat imposing, despite the fact that he looked pale and a bit pasty. Harry focused his senses, but could not detect a heartbeat, nor any body heat. A vampire, then. Harry reached for his sword, but the newcomer raised his hands, palms forward._

“ _Do not be alarmed, young man, I mean you no harm.”_

“ _Who are you?”_

_The other man let his hands fall slowly and beckoned for Harry to follow him a little further into the alley, which Harry did, albeit hesitantly._

“ _I'm the one you came to see, 'Jack'. I am Marcus. I have no way of proving to you who I am, but I wanted to warn you; that pub over there is full of your enemies, waiting to ambush you as soon as you enter. The man you met earlier today was not my good friend Eldred, but an impostor. They got to him, before we had a chance to speak.”_

_Harry stared at the vampire for a moment, a bit shocked. So Mr. Worple had never even managed to meet up with Marcus, assuming this was him. That complicated things._

“ _How do you recognize my name if you did not meet Mr. Worple? He's the only one I've told the name to so far. Perhaps you are the one who's trying to kill me, while the real Marcus is waiting for me across the street, I've got no way of knowing. Legilimency-”_

“ _-only works on the living,” The vampire interrupted. “Don't ask me why, but that's how it is. You are right to be doubtful, of course, but I assure you, I am Marcus. Now, there's a faction within my clan that desperately wants to join Voldemort, to sate their need for bloody carnage. To relive the 'glory days' as they put it. I have a source on the inside, who feeds me information on a regular basis. She told me of you. Am I right to assume you wanted a meeting with me, to discuss our stance in the war?”_

“ _Hey, slow down there, Lugosi,” Harry said and frowned at the man. “You just bombarded me with a whole host of things I have no way of verifying. How can I be certain you are who you say you are?”_

“ _You can't, so I guess you'll have to trust me, won't you?” the newcomer said with an infuriating grin._

_Harry glared at the man for a moment, before turning his attention back to the pub. The man was most likely telling the truth, Harry decided. Besides, if the vampire was allied with the ones waiting for him in the pub, then he would have simply attacked him, or called for aid. There was also the possibility of Worple being held in there, so he was not willing to go back, without at least finding out whether or not the writer was in there._

_He heard footsteps coming from beyond the same corner Marcus had appeared from, the same dead feeling preceding the newcomer as before. Harry turned and saw a very attractive woman appear in the alley, her hips swaying enticingly. She eyed Harry, then walked right up to Marcus, and started whispering in his ear. Harry made a motion with his hand._

“ _There is no use whispering, I can hear everything she's saying just fine, so please, share with the rest of the class.”_

“ _Jack, this is Maria, my inside source. Eldred is in there, alive for now, if slightly worse for wear. There are only two entrances into the pub, one in the front and one in the back. I suggest attacking both at the same time. Maria and I will go in the back, we'll leave the front to you. Sound good?”_

“ _I suppose. I'm a fan of frontal assault, anyway. How many are there? Vampires and Death Eaters? Any regular humans?_

_At that, Maria left Marcus' side, and walked slowly over to Harry. She walked around him in a circle, a finger tracing his shoulders, and finally, his jaw. She stared up at him, her eyes finding his own. She placed her hand on Harry's chest and bit her lower lip, her fangs showing clearly._

“ _Who is this lovely, young creature, Marcus? Just looking at him makes a girl's blood run hot.”_

_Harry kept staring at her, defiantly. He was not backing down, that was for certain. He grasped her hand gently, and removed it from his chest. Undeterred, the vampire placed her other hand on Harry's cheek, and pressed her body into his. Harry opened his mouth to speak, only to find her finger on his lips._

“ _Hush, my sweet. We will continue this later.”_

_Harry held her gaze for a while longer, before moving away. Maria stepped back, a little breathless, her eyes following Harry as he stepped over to Marcus._

“ _Sorry about that. Maria has never been one to hide her feelings, or desires. She is a fantastic agent, nevertheless. Now, to answer your question...”_

_Maria came upon the pair, her demeanour completely changed. The woman Harry looked at now was serious, and calculating and obviously very deadly. Harry raised an eyebrow when Marcus chuckled soundlessly at his reaction._

“ _We have five Death Eaters and five vampires, including the guards outside the front door. I was supposed to guard the back door. Eldred is being held on the upper floor. Marcus, one of the Kin is part of Valentin's personal guard.”_

_Harry saw Marcus frown deeply, obviously unsettled by the news. He rubbed his chin absent mindedly._

“ _That complicates things. Quite a bit, actually. They are some of our best fighters, Jack. Very strong. But we must do this now, lest they kill Eldred and I'd really much rather return him back to his wife and lovely daughter Lisa in one piece. This will be a hard fight, but Maria and I are certainly not wet behind the ears when it comes to battle. I dislike the idea of revealing Maria's identity to them, but she must help us. How about you, young man? Ever faced a vampire before?”_

_Harry removed his coat, and threw it onto a nearby trash can, before unsheathing his blade. He twirled it in his hand, before leaning it against his shoulder._

“ _I haven't, but I am strong, fast and agile, and I learn quickly. This is a goblin made silverite sword, it should get the job done,” Harry said, before going on a bit sheepishly. “Sorry about the showboating...”_

_Marcus eyed the young man warily. This was an exquisite weapon, fit for kings. Clearly very old, yet it was in perfect condition, the fighter in front of him obviously took great care of it. How he got his hands on a silverite weapon, was a question he would very much like to get an answer to._ _Silverite was extremely rare, and easily the deadliest substance known to vampires, werewolves, and to a great number of other magical beasts and beings. But that was for later, now they had to hurry. He signalled Maria, who set out in the other direction._

“ _One more thing, Jack. I have no desire to kill any humans, so we will not do so, if we can help it. But do not give quarter to any vampire. They are traitors to our clan and make no mistake, they will kill as many humans as possible if Valentin is not stopped, so strike ruthlessly and kill whenever you're faced with one of my kin during this battle. Or any battle for that matter. These individuals are not thinking of what is best for our kind, and must be exterminated.”_

_Harry nodded and watched the vampire follow his comrade. He sheathed his sword, and quit the alley and slowly made his way across the street. Once he was at a good distance, he formed a small fireball in his left hand and threw it at the pair of Death Eaters guarding the front entrance, causing them to dive out of the way._ _At the same time, Harry´s right hand curled in a fist and a pocket of air he had formed behind the front door exploded outward, crushing the door and collapsing a part of the wall, affording Harry a clear look at the bar. A flick of Harry's hand saw a pair of stones hit the two wizards in their heads, rendering them unconscious._

_Three more Death Eaters._

_Harry dashed toward the gap in the wall, drawing his sword as he went. He vaulted over the gap, and kicked a wobbling vampire in the temple, stunning the creature, before he thrust his sword through the monster's heart. One down. four to go. He heard a gurgle by the back door, and saw Maria strike one of her kin through the chest with nothing, but her bare hand._

_Three vampires left. Vowing to not ever get on Maria's bad side, Harry ducked a pink beam coming his way, and sent a spear of air towards the enemy wizard, who was sent flying into a nearby wall._

_Two more._

_Turning, Harry avoided a strike by a vampire, who retreated quickly as Harry brought up his sword in a defensive stance. He was dimly aware of Marcus engaging a pair of Valentin's thugs, gracefully avoiding their attacks and even managing to strike down a Death Eater at the same time. Harry turned all of his attention onto the vampire in front of him, who'd produced a long knife from somewhere._

_A pair of screams let Harry know that Marcus had dealt with his foes, which left one wizard, and the single vampire he was facing. Harry rushed forward, his sword swinging low, which the fiend avoided easily. Harry dodged a stab of a knife and jumped back slightly. Suddenly, Maria cut in front of him, and Marcus took a position behind his enemy._

“ _Marcus and I will take care of this one, he's much too skilled for you. Go and free Eldred.”_

“ _I had this under-”_

_Maria silenced him with a cold, hard look, the seductress far, far away. This woman was a stone cold killer, Harry realized then, so he wisely held his tongue._

_“He's toying with you, Jack. Just do as I ask, please. You'll live longer.”_

_Maria was surprised, when Harry sighed and handed her his sword, clearly not willing to let her fight unarmed. He gave her a look that seemed to say 'I'm trusting you with my weapon, take care of it'. Accepting the offered weapon gladly, albeit with a slight wince, she gave him a short nod, before turning to face her enemy as Harry ran for the stairs in long strides._

_He really was interesting, she thought as she gripped the sword tightly and advanced on the vampire in front of her. She decided she was going to get to know the boy better, more intimately. Much more intimately. Marcus warily approaching from the back, armed with a pool cue..._

“ _ **BOMBARDA!”**_

_Harry dived through an open doorway to his left, as the blasting curse flew his way when he crested the top of the stairs. It had probably not been the greatest idea, to run all the way up the stairs. Harry peered out into the hallway, and saw the single remaining Death Eater standing at the end of the hallway, with a very distraught Eldred Worple in a choke hold, his wand pointed to his captive's temple. Harry slowly quit the room, his hands in the air._

“ _I'm unarmed. Let the writer go, and you'll get out of here alive. All of your Death Eater friends are down, and don't think we won't do the same to you, if you harm Mr. Worple. It'll be easy, seeing you're much too worked up to Apparate. Just give up, and this will be quick and painless.”_

“ _Stand back! I'll kill him, you'll see! Nothing you can do will be worse than what the Dark Lord will do to me once he finds we have failed.”_

_Harry narrowed his eyes. It never stopped bothering him, how scared of Riddle his own followers were. How the man ever got any recruits made no sense. Surely people talked among themselves, there had to be at least rumours. Was the promise of power, and wealth really worth it? Perhaps they were just stupid._

_For instance, why had this idiot not Apparated away, when he heard the noise downstairs? Harry snapped his fingers, and the ashtray he had been floating behind the Death Eater, smacked him in the head with a loud thud. The man slid to the floor, leaving Eldred standing, trembling slightly. Harry made his way over to the journalist._

“ _You all right, Mr. Worple? Marcus is downstairs, taking care of things. They didn't hurt you, did they?”_

“ _No, not to badly. I'm sorry I ratted you out. They threatened to kill my wife and daughter, Jack. They are all I have, I cannot imagine losing either of them.”_

_Harry lifted a hand and scratched the back of his head. “The fault lies with me, Eldred. I should never have put you in this position in the first place. For what it's worth, I am sorry.”_

_Eldred looked up at Harry and shook his head slightly, his eyes weary. He approached the fallen Death Eater and rummaged around in his robes until he found his confiscated wand. He returned to Harry's side and motioned for him to head down the stairs._

“ _It's not your fault. They would have come for me anyway, Jack. I'm smart enough to know that. I always wanted my family to have as normal a life as possible, and foolishly did not take into account what might happen, once I learned You-Know-Who had returned.”_

_The pair reached the bottom of the stairs, and into the common room. Harry only heard the voices of Marcus and Maria, so he assumed the last vampire was dead. His allies turned around as Harry and Eldred approached, and Marcus rushed over to embrace his friend fondly._

“ _Eldred! It's good to see you, old chap, though I wish it had been under better circumstances.”_

“ _Likewise, Marcus. Hello, Maria. You're looking especially deadly this evening. Tell me, Marcus, has she already tried to seduce my young friend here, or has she finally learned some manners?”_

_The vampire leader shook his head slightly, a twinkle in his eye, which resulted in a rueful snort from the beleaguered Eldred. The writer watched with some humour as the vampire vixen smiled at him, then shifted her gaze on to Jack and stared at the young man, as if she would devour him on the spot._

_To his credit, Jack stared right back, although he was frowning darkly at Maria, who let her tongue slide sensually along her upper lip, before flashing him a mischievous smile that bared her fangs. She was enjoying this entirely too much. Eldred reckoned it must have something to do with the defiance in Jack's eyes. Maria usually got any man she wanted, vampire or otherwise. Eventually, however, the young man looked toward the east, with a tired stare._

“ _Sirens in the distance, the Muggles are on their way. I suggest we leave before the Aurors get here. Or anyone else.” Again, somewhat surprised at the young man's prodigious hearing, Marcus nodded his agreement._

“ _Go home, Eldred. Jackson is standing watch, outside your home. Be well my friend. Jack, please meet Maria and me on the Tower bridge tomorrow evening at ten, there are some things we must discuss.”_

_With that, Eldred Worple placed a hand on Harry's shoulder, before Apparating away. The two vampires were already out the door, and Harry ran across the street and grabbed his coat. It was only then that Harry realized Maria still had his sword. Well, wasn't that just perfect... Just as Harry Apparated away, he heard faint popping noises as the Order started to Apparate in._

000000

_Kingsley Shacklebolt and Nymphadora Tonks arrived on the scene, with a rather large contingent of Order members, all current or former Aurors loyal to Shack, and Amelia, before him. They was also accompanied by trainees Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger. At Moody's insistence, they were being put through Auror training, even if neither of them actually were a part of the Auror program._

_Tonks immediately got to work on setting the perimeter, and set two former Aurors to put up some notice-me-not charms around, so they could work in peace. Kingsley, however, along with the recent Hogwarts graduates, made his way into the pub, his eyes lingering on the massive hole in the wall, as well as the two Death Eaters on the sidewalk, who were just coming to. Ron stunned them, before following his girlfriend and Kingsley inside._

_There were two more Death Eaters inside, who were rounded up quickly by a pair of Aurors, who Apparated away presently. Kingsley surveyed the room silently, making notes in his head as he did. Five vampires dead, killed with a long blade, quick and clean, except one._

_He found it very interesting that every Death Eater so far barely had a mark on them, when it seemed the vampires had been killed without mercy. He ran a hand down his face, as an Auror floated another Death Eater down the stairs._

“ _The top floor is secure, Shack. I found this.”_

_His subordinate handed him a wallet, before Apparating away with his captive. Kingsley opened the wallet and to his surprise, found Eldred Worple looking back at him from his journalist ID. Now, what had the man been doing here, of all places, and in this company? He'd probably been held here against his will, most likely due to his knowledge of his fanged friends, it was rather obvious._

_He was friends with the clan head as well, and from what Kingsley knew of Marcus, he was most definitely not a Voldemort supporter. So, a schism within the vampire community? Very likely. Pocketing the wallet, he heard Ron clear his throat. He turned to see Ron come from the back room, making his way over to him, while looking at Hermione, who was busy examining the closest vampire body._

“ _I reckon there were at least three attackers, Shack. One attacked the front, creating a diversion, while at least two more came in from the back, catching their enemies by surprise.”_

“ _An astute observation, Ron. I concur. What have you found, Hermione?_

“ _Well, there is the same strange magical aura in the air here, as I found in the warehouse Greyback was killed. There are traces of meteoritic silverite in the wounds of these vampires. I found the same in the wounds of the werewolves that morning, Kingsley. This was, without a doubt, the same individual.”_

_Kingsley nodded at her. She was an incredible asset to the Order and her boyfriend wasn't bad, either. Ron's strategic mind was always working, always finding ways to use each and every location to its greatest effect. He was rather insecure, however and had an alarming tendency to ignore other people's opinions, and suggestions. His temper could be a problem, as well, not to mention the occasional bout of jealousy, which Kingsley simply could not understand._

_Now, Hermione was an absolute star. Her knowledge of magic, and how it worked was invaluable and it grew day by day. Her attention to detail was incredible, but unlike Ron, she made certain to include others. This was a trait she had picked up from Harry Potter, who was a natural leader. At least that was what Kingsley had found, when asking about the boy._

_Hermione only had two obvious flaws; going by the book a bit too much, Kingsley thought. She had demanded to be placed in the field and out here, you had to be able to improvise. Secondly, she was prone to blind obedience to people in authority. Moving on from his observations, Kingsley motioned for the two of them to follow him outside before the three of them plus Tonks Apparated to London once more, to brief Moody on the situation, before leaving the active Aurors behind to work the scene._

000000

_The following night, Harry made his way onto the Tower bridge, and found the vampire pair waiting for him by the railing, looking over the river Thames. Harry stepped up to them, sharing in the view, listening to the world as they stood there in silence for a few minutes. Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw a subdued Maria produce a wrapped up bundle, which she held out to him._

“ _Your sword, Jack. It really is a marvellous weapon, I was honoured to wield it. Though, I could not bear to touch it for more than a few moments. If I may ask, have you fought with it many times?”_

_Harry looked at the vampire, her subdued manner a surprise. He looked over at Marcus, who had turned around and leaned against the railing, watching the pair with interest. Harry decided to answer the question, it seemed innocent enough._

“ _Not too often, fortunately. I dislike violence and try to avoid it if possible.”_

_Maria looked at him, eyes sparkling with curiosity. Another layer revealed itself. Not only did he resist her more than ample charms with ease, he had layers upon layers to his person. He did not like violence, but fought brilliantly, although he obviously lacked experience. She arched an eyebrow._

“ _This coming from the man who killed Greyback and his fellows, likely with this very weapon.”_

“ _He didn't give me a choice, Maria. Besides, the world is a better place without him in it. Killing that thing gave me no pleasure and I even tried to resolve it peacefully, even though I knew it was next to impossible. I can't go around killing everyone who stands in my way, I'd be no better than Riddle, if I did. And before either of you ask, no I am not going to tell you where I got the sword.”_

_As soon as Harry stopped talking, Maria shed the act, and literally threw herself at him, hands going around his neck. Harry backed away, bumping into the railing. Maria stared up at him, her eyes smouldering with heat._

“ _You're the most interesting man I've met in decades, Jack. Will you not come away with me for the night? I do so desire to get to know you better...”_

_Harry looked at Maria with a frown. She was incredibly attractive, he would not deny it. She also seemed completely crazy. They had met two times, and she was throwing herself at him like that? She was growing antsy, her face hot and her breathing heavy and slightly ragged. As Harry grabbed her upper arms to gently push her away, he could not help but wonder how a being with no heartbeat **could get** hot and bothered. It made no sense. _

_In order to get a little payback, he decided to play with her a little bit and leaned in close. Maria opened her mouth slightly and tilted her head, her eyes heavy lidded and glistening, eagerly anticipating the kiss that was surely coming. Before Harry's lips met hers, however, he angled his head a little and whispered to her, his breath hot in her ear._

“ _I belong to another, Maria and I will never betray her like this. I have nothing, but respect for you and your abilities, but that may change if you keep acting this way. Please stop.”_

_Maria felt his hot breath on her ear, and shivered with desire as Harry gently pushed her away from him. She backed away slowly, and stared at the young man, her eyes showing intense arousal. He'd rebuffed her that easily? Such strong character had to be respected._

_She wanted him even more now, she realized. She was careful not to let it show on her face, but her pride was severely wounded. She opted for a sexy grin, and twirled a lock of her raven hair around her finger. She would have to have the last word. She always did, after all. She turned to leave, but looked over her shoulder to stare him in the eyes._

“ _She's lucky, whoever she is.”_

_And with that, she walked slowly along the bridge, her hips swaying a little more than was normal. Harry and Marcus watched her walk away. Marcus had a very peculiar look on his face. He turned to Harry and grinned, clearly amused. Harry, however was wondering if he had lied to Maria, if he actually belonged to anyone any more, besides himself._

“ _You may have dodged a hex there, lad, but you just stoked her fire that much more. She may not come after you tomorrow, or even a year from now, but she will approach you again, make no mistake. With much more fervour, so I suggest you watch yourself.”_

_Harry frowned. “What's with her, anyway? This reaction is completely daft.”_

“ _Haven't the foggiest, my boy. I've known her for a long, long time and she's always been this way, although this is the strongest reaction I've ever seen from her, I must admit. I'm certain it has something to do with you not being completely human. Oh, and you refused her, something that has not happened in a very long time.”_

“ _Now, the night is young,” Marcus continued, “and I have much to do yet, before the sunrise and we have some things to discuss. Mainly, I want to know on whose authority you have approached me. I know you do not come from the Ministry, there are proper channels to go through with any serious discussion between our peoples, Jack. And I have steadfastly refused to speak with both the Order of the Phoenix as well as Voldemort, so why should I speak with you? What do you have to offer?”_

_Harry looked over the river flowing gently below them. He had known Marcus would ask these questions and the vampire leader was right to do so. He had also known he would have to reveal his true identity to the vampire leader, because what he was about to ask of Marcus required trust._

_Harry could hardly ask Marcus to blindly trust him in such important issues concerning their whole race without him knowing who he was talking with. Harry took a deep breath and pulled his cap from his head, to reveal the scar on his forehead. Marcus stared at him, shock clear on face._

“ _Harry Potter? I was under the impression you were a normal wizard, not... not whatever you've become. I was also under the impression you were thought dead. After all, you have been missing for quite a while.”_

_Harry grinned at the man. “I changed myself, Marcus. I am not willing to go into any detail, in regards to my transformation, but rest assured that I am fine and sane of mind. As you know, I've been fighting Riddle for a while now and what's more, we are fated to fight, him and I.”_

“ _Is that so?” Marcus asked with a surprised look on his face. “I had heard the rumours, but...”_

_Harry nodded. “According to prophecy, one must kill the other eventually, and I'd rather be the one who's left standing. Killing that bastard is only half the battle, however. If nothing in the magical world changes once this war is over, then it has all been for naught. You understand the underlying reason why this conflict is as dangerous as it is, yes? And why Riddle's gathered so many followers?_

“ _Naturally.”_

“ _Of course you do. We need to change our whole society and we must start with the pureblood nonsense, but it also must include changing the way wizards treat other magical beings. The oppressed always rise up against their oppressors. The only question is, how violent it will be. We are at a turning point in our history, and we_ must _make the right choices for future generations, and learn from our mistakes. I realize you've heard all of this before, but the fact that we will have to largely rebuild our government and society once this conflict is over gives us an opportunity we must not miss.”_

_Marcus nodded. “And I suppose the person who defeats The Dark Lord, will have enough influence to do that? Perhaps. I had already decided to not support Voldemort, should he come knocking, so you do not need to worry about that. I am more than willing, however, to be a part of this dialogue you are proposing. Who else have you talked to?”_

“ _I've only approached the goblins thus far, to initiate a dialogue. I am currently juggling a few projects, one of which must be my foremost priority. I'm sorry, but I cannot go into it, as absolute secrecy is vital to its success. I am here mainly to inquire whether or not you're joining Riddle, but it is clear you are not. But I am also here to start laying the foundation, to what comes after.”_

_Marcus watched as Harry put the cap back on his head, his brilliant green eyes looking into his own grey ones, as if the was trying to look into his very soul. This was a remarkable young man, it had to be said. The vampire leader was in no doubt Potter would keep his word and work toward peace and equality within the wizarding world, he could feel the passion radiating from him. The older man smiled and reached a hand to Harry, which the youth grabbed tightly._

“ _You have an ally in me, Harry Potter. I am not willing to commit my kin to this war, but Maria and I will always stand ready to assist you. We will, however be busy with purging the traitors from our family for the foreseeable future. I may also require your assistance on occasion. Should I need to speak with you, I will find you. I would like to ask you a question if I may?”_

_Harry nodded as he let go of Marcus' hand._

“ _Why are you out here by yourself? Surely a man of your standing has friends willing to help? Judging by the way you look and the weariness in your step, you could use a helping hand.”_

_Harry stayed silent for a while, pondering the question and how much to tell Marcus. In the end, he elected to tell him the simple truth._

_“_ _Too many people have died to protect me so far in my life, Marcus. My parents, Sirius Black, Albus Dumbledore... Honestly, I'm sick of it, I can't take it any more. To always rely upon others to protect me, when I should be the one protecting myself and my friends.”_

“ _As I thought. You have a noble spirit, Mr. Potter and I admire you for it. Don't lose yourself, however, the darkness can swallow the careless. Well, I must be going. It was good to have this talk, Mr. Potter and please, rest assured, I will guard your secret carefully.”_

_Marcus turned away, but had only taken a few steps when he turned around to look at Harry with a curious expression._

“ _What?” Harry asked, confused._

“ _It just occurred to me that I was a young man once, and that young men tend not to think too far ahead. Might I suggest a trip to Gringotts soon, to put your affairs in order, just to be on the safe side?”_

_With that, Marcus put his hands in his pockets and walked over to Maria, who was waiting patiently a ways away. She looked over at Harry and blew him a kiss, before leaving. Harry headed in the other direction, deep in thought._

000000

_The following week, Harry walked Diagon Alley at a leisurely pace, and soon found himself at Griphook's house. He knocked on the door, and had to wait a while before the goblin answered the door. He stepped back and let Harry inside. As before, the pair headed for the living room, and Griphook made tea._

“ _What brings you to my door, Mr. Potter. I was under the impression that you and I were not going to be seeing much of each other until this was all over.”_

_Harry took a sip of his tea. “Well, this has nothing to do with the war, or our agreement. It is of a more personal nature. I need to make a will, Griphook. This quest of mine is very dangerous, as you know ,and with the combined assets of Houses Potter and Black, I am a very wealthy man. I need to make sure this wealth goes to where it will do the most good, should something happen. And, of course determine who my heirs will be, and who will take the house seats on the Wizengamot.” Harry shuddered at that last bit._

_Griphook nodded in understanding. “Ah. I understand perfectly, Mr. Potter. You should indeed go to Gringotts as soon as possible, and have the bank validate the will, if you've made one. They can also help you make a will via Pensieve, which most people elect to do, as it is much more personal.”_

_Griphook peered at Harry over the rims of his glasses, before he put down his cup and cleared hos throat. “Mr. Potter, I have a pair of nephews who have been working at Gringotts for some time, and I would view it as a personal favour, if you would be willing to have them oversee the making and officiating of the will, and take over as account managers for Houses Black and Potter. It will increase their reputation.”_

_Harry shrugged. “Sure, I don't mind. But is it safe for me to go to Gringotts? I don't want my identity revealed.”_

_Griphook gave him a stern look. “Mr. Potter, we goblins take pride in our work at Gringotts and one of the very foundations of that bank is the very strict client confidentiality policy. Rest assured Mr. Potter, your secrets are safe with us and I personally vouch for my nephews. Now, I will meet you at a hidden entrance located on the side of the building at nine tomorrow morning, an hour before opening.”_

_Harry nodded at the goblin, grateful for the assistance. He reached into a pocket in his coat, and produced a roll of parchment. He presented it to Griphook, who took it from his hands with a raised eyebrow._

“ _I must get going, Griphook, but I have something for you. These are some further ideas I have in mind for after the war. I would like you to look over them, and present them to your people if you are satisfied with what I've written down.”_

“ _I will, Mr. Potter.”_

000000

_In the morning, Griphook led Harry through the halls of Gringotts, until they found themselves in a conference room of sorts. It had a large table in the middle, surrounded by comfortable chairs and on the table rested a Pensieve. Empty, by the looks of things. Attached to the bowl, was some kind of microphone. Griphhok excused himself, and left the room, leaving Harry to his thoughts._

_He was pretty certain how he was supposed to use the Pensieve. He stared at it for a moment, before a small cough brought him back. He turned around, and found himself looking at two of the shortest goblins, he had ever seen. They were also identical twins. They stood before him, grinning in a way that had Harry wondering if there was a reason why their uncle had to ask for things on their behalf._

“ _I am goblin Guybrush, at you service,” one said._

“ _And I am goblin Threepwood, also at your service,” the other followed._

_Yep, Harry was completely certain these twins were troublemakers and complete failures as goblins. For instance, they seemed sociable and jovial, whereas goblins were supposed to be surly and unapproachable. No wonder they were at the bottom of the totem pole. Oh, well, if Griphook vouched for them..._

“ _Yes, thank you. I need to establish a will. I was hoping the pair of you could help me.”_

_000000_

_So, chapter seven done. I hope you liked it. Thanks for reading!_


	7. VIII

VIII

Harry bolted upright in his bed, his hand immediately clutching his side as the pain had returned with a vengeance. Panting, he wiped the sweat from his brow absent mindedly. Bloody nightmares. This was happening more and more often. It was two days, since his battle with the giant, and he was still awfully sore. His mind wandered toward the nightmares again, and he winced. They were usually the same, the faces of the people he had killed over the past few months were haunting him, quite severely.

Sure, they had been Death Eaters, werewolves and vampires, but still... What bothered Harry the most, however, was the self doubt that crept up behind him, every time he woke up, after a night of dreams. Especially if they were accompanied by dreams of his friends, the death of Sirius and Dumbledore, or Cedric. Even Quirrell was starting to make the odd appearance.

Groaning, Harry got out of bed, and somehow managed to get dressed, hunched over as he was. He would get some breakfast, bathe and get in a good meditation before lunch. There was little else he could do until he recovered anyway. This, aside from the loneliness was the biggest issue Harry had with this quest of his. He could not risk going to St. Mungos. He'd surely be captured, or worse. At the very least, he'd be questioned by someone in authority, and then the game was up.

He could go to Tonks, he supposed, but if he showed up like this again, he just knew she and Remus would not be willing to keep it to themselves. There was one other place available, but he did not want to worry them, those sisters had enough to worry about.

Harry sighed. What was he thinking? He'd have to go there and have them take a look at him. They would be really rather cross with him, if he did not and he knew they were quite good, at demonstrating their displeasure.

Useful as the potions he had made were, Madam Pomfrey was an absolute wonder, when it came to healing. He could attest to this, having been on the receiving end of her care, more often than he cared to count. He could go to the library, and look at the countless tomes on everything magical healing, given that the library was charmed in such a way, that every book or scroll that was logged into the Hogwarts library, was magically duplicated in there. But, as mentioned before, he was pants at potions, so...

Harry slowly limped over to the library, and perused the shelves. He saw several books he recognized, original versions of some of his textbooks, along with the new ones. Harry also saw many tomes which he knew would only ever be found, in the restricted section of the Hogwarts library. He briefly stopped by a book that covered the art of turning oneself into an Animagus. Harry had seriously considered attempting it, thinking he could accomplish it, but he and Gryffindor both agreed eventually, to leave it be.

It took way too much time, and the steps it required were not easily undertaken, unless you had plenty of time. First, you had to keep a mandrake leaf in your mouth for a full lunar cycle. It could not be dropped or swallowed, lest you had to start all over again, and you had to hope the latter moon was on a clear night, because the leaf had to be spit into a moonstruck container.

Then, you had to brew a really complex potion (a sign in itself he should leave it alone), which required, among other things, a silver teaspoon full of dew, untouched by the sun or touched for seven days. A few further steps were to be taken, but ultimately, Harry had deemed it a waste of time. Also, they had no idea how it might affect his already transformed body, or how it might interact with the spirits Harry had conquered, within his mind.

When reading the various books on spells, curses, hexes and charms, Harry often wished he had his wand with him. The arm braces, wonderful conductors of magical energy that they were, were ill suited for any kind of finesse. Hence their primary use for battle. He could dabble in wandless magic, of course, but he would be severely limited in what he could do. He was strong, yes, but there was no real substitute for proper magical foci.

He could try and create one, he supposed. It would not be registered by the Ministry, but opted against it. He doubted he had the skills required to craft it properly, and he did not fancy the idea of it exploding in his face. He also needed something to use as a core, and none of those things were readily available. Not even a Phoenix feather, it turned out, as he had tried to summon Fawkes on several occasions, but his friend had not answered his call.

One day, Harry had found a staff, an actual wizard's staff, on a stand in one of the rooms, when he went exploring. Feeling a rush of excitement, he had grabbed it and Gryffindor had laughed good naturedly at the boy's enthusiasm, since he he knew that in many stories, wizards wielded staffs, instead of wands.

That particular staff, however was not well suited for Harr. At all. The energy generated, clashed with Harry's badly and his muscles twitched for hours afterwards. Needless to say, he left it alone after that. Some weeks after, Gryffindor was still laughing at it.

Harry found yet another book he recognized from his own personal collection. The heavily revised edition was lying in his trunk, back at Privet Drive, assuming the Order had not removed his possessions from that house, following his disappearance. Harry carried the book over to a comfortable chair and sat down. As he leafed through the book, his mind took off.

000000

_Christmas was upon the land, and for the first time in Harry's life, he was completely alone. Sure, he had spent last Christmas at this stronghold, but back then, he had at least had Gryffindor to talk to. He wondered what the people in his life were doing, this day, a_ _side from getting ready for the festivities._

_The Weasleys had probably spent the morning in brand new Weasley sweaters. Harry smiled fondly at thought about Ron, in his Maroon coloured one. His best friend hated the colour, and as such, did not like the garment overly much. Fred and George did, though, calling them lovely and warm, which they were, of course._

_Molly Weasley was such a caring mother, if a bit overbearing. Harry just hoped that, by now, Ron had finally truly understood and appreciated what he had in his mother. And his father, of course. To know the love of a parent... What Harry would give for such a privilege. He knew Molly saw him as one of her own, but it just wasn't the same. Not that he'd ever say anything, of course. She realised it, he knew, but hearing him say it would break her heart._

_As the night rolled on, Harry grew restless. For some reason, thinking of Molly had brought to his attention, the fact that he had never been to visit his parent's grave. He decided he was going there, as soon as possible. He knew the village was a popular wizarding tourist attraction, given the fact that Riddle had met his previous downfall, at his parent's house. Harry hoped it was not too crowded at this time, it being Christmas and all._

_Aside from all the tourists, it was a village where wizards lived in unusually large numbers, so it was not a purely magical village. Only Hogsmeade could boast of such. Harry knew the Abbott family lived there and it had been the home of the Dumbledores as well. Godric Gryffindor had also been born there._

_It was at New Years Eve, when Harry James Potter walked into Godric's Hollow, for the first time, wearing his charcoal coat and wool cap. He was wearing his arm braces, but not the sword, nor had he brought his Bag with him; he did not expect any trouble._

_It was a nice little village, well kept houses and he could feel the cobbles on the street, beneath the fine layer of snow that covered the ground. It was nearing midnight, and not a soul could be seen outside. Harry made his way along the main street, and found himself on the main square shortly. What he saw there made him stop, and stare for a long while, before approaching it._

_It was a statue of two people sitting atop of a large, square slab of stone. Lily Evans sat there, next to her husband, who had his hand across his wife's shoulders, and Lily was cradling her infant son in her arms. The parents looked lovingly down on their son, who in turn stared back at them, a happy look on his face._

_Harry's eyes misted over as he stared at the memorial for a long time. He laid a hand on the statue, before turning away to head onto Church Lane. He felt the tell tale signs of a Muggle repellent charm on his left hand side as he walked along the street, and decided to follow it. Eventually, he discovered the source and the lump that had formed in his throat, got a little bigger._

_His parent's home had once been a lovely two story cottage, with a thatched roof, and white walls. Not unlike Lupin's house, just quite a bit larger. The windows had been small and cozy, and the garden would have been lovely, surrounded by a hedge, which had grown wild over the years it had been left untended. The house had obviously been destroyed, in the explosion that had taken place._

_The right side of the top floor was missing, as was most of the roof. Harry found it likely that his room had once been in that part of the cottage. Harry assumed the rebounded Avada Kedavra had done the damage, though, he supposed the fight between his father and Riddle might be a more likely cause. Harry walked over to the sign by the fence, and read the gold laden inscription on the gate carefully;_

“ _ **On this spot, on the night of 31** **st** **of October 1981,  
Lily and James Potter lost their lives.  
Their son, Harry, remains the only wizard  
ever to have survived the Killing Curse.  
This house, invisible to Muggles, has been left  
in its ruined state as a monument to the Potters  
and as a reminder of the violence  
that tore apart their family.”**_

_Harry stared at the sign, then at the house, but could not bring himself to enter. He knew it was silly; it was just a bloody house, and empty one at that. Still, he turned away and found the graveyard, some time later. He entered it and walked among the tombstones aimlessly for a while. He saw stones marked Kendra Dumbledore and Ariana Dumbledore, his former headmaster's mother and sister, respectively._

_A while later, he came upon several Peverell graves and a few Abbotts. A deep sigh escaped Harry's lips, when he saw the grave of Hanna's mother. Well, at least there was not one for Hannah herself. There were a number of Gryffindors there, as well. No Godric though, to Harry's wry amusement._ _At last, he found his parent's resting place. The snow in front of the white marble gravestone was trampled a little, and there were several bouquets of flowers lying on the grave. Apparently he was not the only one who wanted to visit his parents at this time._

_He sniffed the air and looked at a pair of roses on the side of the stone, and smiled sadly. Tonks and Remus had been here, no more than a few minutes ago. Harry sat down in front of the grave, not minding the snow, tears running down his face. He noticed the inscription on the base of the grave marker:_

_**'The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death'** _

_Harry was weeping freely now. Here lay his parents, then. For eighteen years, they had lain there, resting peacefully. Harry felt the sorrow swell within him, followed by guilt. He knew it was unreasonable; he had been but an infant at the time, but if he had not been born, Riddle would not have had any reason to search for them specifically. He cleared his throat painfully._

“ _Hey Mum, Dad. It's me, Harry. Sorry I've not been by before. I've had a busy few years and Aunt Petunia couldn't be bothered to bring me here. I don't really know what I'm supposed to be talking about, to be honest. Riddle's is back, just in case you were wondering, but I suppose you probably know that, watching over me and all. And if not, then Sirius probably told you about it. Anyway, he murdered you guys way back when, but he obviously didn't manage to kill me, as you can see.”_

_Harry sat there on the ground for over an hour, pouring out his soul to the grave marker. Once he was done, he rose from the ground slowly, and placed his hand on the marble with a sad expression. He felt much better now, relieved, though he could not in any way understand why. He did know part of it was the fact that he had finally visited his parent's grave, which was something that had been hanging over his head, for a long time._

_Harry quit the graveyard, and walked down to the main square again, simply wanting to walk around the village some more. He closed his eyes, and perked his ears. He breathed in the air, noting smells and sounds of the village. Peaceful and beautiful. He just hoped it would last. It was doubtful, though. Soon, Riddle would feel he was ready to make his big move. Harry sighed and took one last look around, before Apparating away._

000000

_A few days later, Harry was sitting in his chair in the basement of Gryffindor's stronghold, staring at the two former Horcruxes in his possession. He had to find Ravenclaw's diadem. Which, incidentally, was a hard thing to do with no leads whatsoever. Well, he had one idea, but it was a bit of a stretch, if he was honest._ _He had contemplated entering Riddle's mind once more, but quickly dismissed the idea as foolish and reckless. He had almost been caught last time, and Riddle could absolutely not discover what he was about. That was the reason. The whoooole reason. Yes. Definitely._

_It had absolutely, in no way whatsoever, anything to to with the fact that he was not interested in seeing a rerun of the hit reality TV show 'Sexy and Psychotic', starring Bellatrix Lestrange and Tom Riddle. No, he was not about to risk that. As fun as being crazy sounded, he actually did value his sanity. A little bit, anyway._ _He thought about the idea that had formed in his mind. After his adventure in first year at Hogwarts, while he was recuperating in Poppy's care, Dumbledore had told him of Quirrell and how Riddle had possessed him, that it had taken place in Albania. Now, why would Riddle's spirit travel such a long way?_

_There was no obvious connection, between the diadem and Albania, unless the thief had brought the diadem all the way over there. But why? Still, there had to be a reason why Riddle's spirit made the journey. Harry wondered if Quirrell had gotten wind of the diadem being somewhere in Albania, and encountered Riddle and been possessed. Then, perhaps spirit had ordered his slave to take the diadem and hide it?_

_**If** that was the case, then Harry felt there was a excellent chance of the diadem being hidden at Hogwarts. Riddle was certainly arrogant enough to hide a piece of himself under his enemy's nose. Or, perhaps the diadem was still in that forest, carefully hidden? After thinking about it for a long while, and turning it this way and that in his mind, Harry decided he had to go and try and find evidence of the diadem in Albania, before he went to Hogwarts. _

_Going to the school was risky and if he got into trouble, he wanted to make certain it was not lying in a hollow trunk in an Albanian forest. Bertha Jorkins had also been murdered over there by either Riddle or Pettigrew, and that was too much of a coincidence for Harry to be comfortable with._ _It would take several weeks to get ready, to brew less than half decent potions and the like. The Ministry carefully monitored the sale of many of the potions Harry wanted to brew, and some could only be bought at either Saint Mungo's or at some shady shop in Knockturn Alley, and he was not willing to buy them there._

_Harry wanted to be as prepared as he could be, for once. He popped over to Flourish & Blotts one morning and bought a bestiary, containing information on the various known beasts and creatures that inhabited south eastern Europe and the Balkan area. _ _He also felt it rather prudent to familiarize himself with the area, its legends and folk tales. Knowing himself, he was certain he was bound to run into some mythical beast or other. He brewed healing potions, blood replenishing potions and some type of vitality potion._

_It was similar to the Muggle energy drinks, but much more potent and took instant effect. It was also heavily addictive, if used irresponsibly. Thus, he only brewed three vials of that potion; he would only use it if the situation was truly desperate._

_Most of the potions he was brewing required a long time to complete, so he suspected Madam Pomfrey always had her cauldrons going. Either that, or she bought hers pre-made, but somehow, Harry doubted that. No, that didn't feel right. From what he could guess from his interactions with the mistress of the Hogwart's Medical ward, Poppy most definitely brewed her own potions. On an unrelated note; she was also nice._

_Harry was afraid he was making a mistake by going to Albania, but he had to chance it. If there was even a shred of information to be gained, he had to at least go and investigate, even if it meant he would not be able to respond should Fawkes send him a vision of something that warranted his attention. Question was, how to travel to the mainland. Apparating between countries was not something people did, even if the knew the other place really well, the distances were too great._

_There was something called an International Portkey, but as things were, they were out of Harry's reach because you had to register your travel with the Ministry, and they had ways of discovering illegal Portkeys. He needed a broom. Preferably a fast one._

_His Firebolt was not available and he hoped Ginny was using it for Quidditch at Hogwarts, so that was that. He'd have to buy a new one. Using the speed of his current Firebolt as reference and a map, he deduced it would take him some fourteen hours of hard flying, to reach the general area of the forest Dumbledore had mentioned when telling him about Prof. Quirrell._

00000

_January had come and gone and it was well into February, when Harry found himself heading to Quality Quidditch Supplies, to purchase a new broom. Harry tugged his Bag a little higher upon his shoulder, and headed inside. He walked straight over to the counter and rang a bell._ _The store was practically empty, since kids were back in school after the holidays. Eventually a middle aged, pot bellied man appeared. His bored expression told Harry how riveting it had to be, selling Quidditch supplies in the dead of winter. The clerk kept eyeing Harry with the same bored expression._

“ _Yes?”_

“ _I need a broom. The fastest one you have. Gold is not an issue.”_

_The man's expression changed abruptly and he became a lot more energetic. The lad needed a fast broom, eh? Well, the Firebolt 2.0 would not hit the market, until next week, and it was the fastest broom ever made. He had his doubts about the lad, but if he had the money and was willing to pay a little extra... He walked over to a display case in the middle of the store, plastered on his best fake smile, and waved Harry over._

“ _Step over here, lad and feast your eyes on the Firebolt 2.0, the fastest broom ever made, almost half again as fast as the original Firebolt, if you can believe it. It has better handling as well.”_

_Harry stared at the broom, absolutely mesmerized. It was perfect, no less than perfect. It looked strong, but sleek and delicate at the same time. He was so distracted, he barely even heard the clerk ask him if he played Quidditch._

“ _Hmm? Oh, yes. I played Seeker.”_

“ _Huh... Never would have guessed, with your physique. I would have bet on you being a keeper, or a beater. Oh, well, appearances can be deceiving. So, lad. Will you be leaving my humble establishment today, with a brand new Firebolt 2.0?“_

“ _Yes, I believe so, sir.”_

“ _Excellent! Now there's just the matter of payment, and after that, the registering of your broom, and you can be on your merry way.”_

_Harry frowned. Brooms had to be registered? He'd never even considered that possibility, but now that he thought about it, it made sense. The Ministry could not monitor Apparition, only ward against it, but they did monitor the Floo and Portkeys, so why not broom purchases? While he did not think the Ministry could trace a broom, the knowledge of who owned one, could be very valuable, similar to the Muggle car registration system._

_No matter how much Harry pressured the man into not registering the broom, he was adamant. He could lose his store, after all. Harry sighed in resignation and thanked the man, then proceeded to apologize for wasting his time. Harry quit the store deep in thought. He looked up and gazed upon Gringotts some distance away._

_Now, he could go to Stan's Second Hand Brooms, which could be found in a side alley, of a side alley, of Knockturn Alley. There was no doubt he could buy an unregistered broom from Stan, but there were three main reasons why he was against buying anything, from that man. First, he was terribly sleazy and wore the most ridiculous purplish, plaid coat Harry had ever seen._

_Second, Stan insisted on wearing a hybrid of a pirate and ten gallon hat that always seemed to be closer to a twenty gallon hat, but then, it had to be, in order to fit onto his large head. And lastly, his massively exuberant hand gestures, made Harry think the man was trying to take flight himself. In short, Harry did not fancy falling to his death somewhere over the Channel because of a faulty broom._

_Scratching his chin absent mindedly, Harry stared at Gringotts in the distance, and he felt his face slowly split in a mischievous grin. Well, he could always go and fetch **that**..._

000000

_Harry entered Gringotts, and was soon greeted by Guybrush and Threepwood, who led him into an unscheduled conference room._

“ _What can we do for you, good sir?”_

" _I'm going on a little trip and there's an item I would like to grab from one of my vaults and I would be very grateful if we could exit the bank through a less crowded way than the main lobby. The reason being, the item I require is somewhat of a rarity in the magical community, I'd imagine.”_

_The twin's faces broke out in massive grins. They would most certainly help him get **that** thing out of storage. At Mr. Potter's request, they had been going through the Potter and Black vaults and this particular thing they suspected Mr. Potter was after excited them to no end. They were after all, highly curious by nature. _

_There was, however, a matter which required the young man's immediate attention. A trio of documents he would need to sign in order for them to take effect. Guybrush produced a pair of folders from a briefcase and placed them on the table and opened them, before he slid them over to Harry. An arched eyebrow prodded Threepwood to explain to Harry the contents of the documents on the table. He did so in a manner that was very formal and it made Harry uncomfortable._

“ _It was most fortuitous you visited the bank this day, Mr. Potter. These documents were drawn up at the behest of the late Sirius Black a short time before his death but were never signed, so they could not be finalized. They,” Threepwood said and gestured with his hand, “are documents which terminate the marriage contracts between Bellatrix Lestrange nee Black and one Rodolphus Lestrange and the one which binds Narcissa Malfoy nee Black to one Lucius Malfoy, due to a breach of contract. These ones are the original marriage contracts.” The goblin motioned the other folder._

_Harry arched an eyebrow. “A breach of contract?”_

“ _Indeed, Mr. Potter. In both contracts, there exists a clause which enables the current Head of House Black to terminate each of them, should either Mr. Lestrange or Mr. Malfoy bring dishonour upon the name of Black. Sirius Black took a dim view of the pair of them being sentenced to Azkaban, and sought to terminate both contracts.”_

“ _Bellatrix was sentenced to Azkaban, herself,” Harry supplied with a frown._

_Guybrush acknowledged that fact with a nod of his head. “Irrelevant, in this case, Mr. Potter. The clause does not in any way mention actions perpetrated by the sisters Black, only their husbands. This would not change things too much, should the women themselves not wish to be separated from their husbands, but it does allow us goblins to remove their dowry from the vaults of both men, and let me tell you, the sum is substantial. I imagine they will be most displeased, once they regain control of their vaults.”_

_Harry was a bit confused. “Hang on. I thought the Ministry froze all movements of the vaults of the Death Eaters, caught after the battle of the DoM. At least, the contents of the Lestrange vault is currently in storage at the ministry, so Lestrange and Malfoy should not have access anyway.” A thought came to Harry then. “Unless they have accounts in other countries. Which makes sense, I suppose.”_

“ _Aye, they do have accounts with the goblins of Switzerland, a rouge element of our people. Now, the contents of the vaults are protected by ancient magics. Nothing can be removed from the storages at the Ministry unless in the presence of a goblin. Additionally, any human that wishes to remove anything from that storage will have to be in possession of the master key. Conveniently, both keys are now held here at Gringotts, and have been ever since the mass escape of Azkaban.”_

“ _And why is that, Guybrush?” Harry asked._

“ _A safeguard put in place after we learned of Riddle's return in nineteen ninety five. Through our contacts, we learned the identity of the men that appeared in Little Hangleton. We realized, of course that Riddle would eventually make a play for the Ministry, and in case their vaults were confiscated, we could ensure they were cut off from their wealth, should the Ministry become corrupt. Well, more than usual.”_

_Harry was impressed with the foresight. “Smart.”_

_Both goblins grinned happily at that. “Quite,” Threepwood continued. “Now, after the appointment of one Pius Thicknesse, the Ministry has, on several occasions demanded the return of the master keys. However, the keys can only be removed from our care by Lucius Malfoy and Rodolphus Lestrange. And since both men are known Death Eaters, and escaped felons, we are well within our rights to deny them their keys, should they approach us. However, we believe we can only delay it for so long. I would imagine the Ministry will force the revoking of both men's status as criminals soon enough. And of the rest of those people. It may prove difficult, however.”_

“ _And why is that?”_

_Threepwood sighed. “Because, there's barely any semblance of a working government in Britain but, despite that, Riddle has not yet managed to gain full control of the Wizengamot. And as long as that's the case, some of the things he'd like to do are impossible, unless the Chief Warlock, Augusta Longbottom, signs off on it with the majority of votes. He has seemed reluctant to go on a murder spree against the mostly pureblood Wizengamot, most likely, because it will undermine everything he's supposedly stands for. And some members have not been willing to attend meetings, citing security issues, which prevents the termination of their seats.”_

“ _Wait, Madame Longbottom is Chief Warlock? When did this happen? I thought Thicknesse was Warlock,” Harry said, frustrated at his lack of knowledge. It had simply slipped his mind, to keep track on the Wizengamot. Not that he could do anything about it._

“ _No, the Wizengamot threw him out almost at once, since they realized he is an idiot and quite likely in Riddle's pocket, and with the Ministry as corrupt as it is, they have been unable to investigate.”_

_Harry inclined his head in understanding, before turning his gaze onto the last piece of parchment. “And the last document?”_

“ _The last document officially welcomes one Andromeda Tonks nee Black, once more into the House of Black as well as her daughter, Nymphadora Lupin nee Tonks. Nymphadora is of course a Lupin now, so reinstating her as a Black is mostly a formality, although it does protect her, should something befall her husband. And with Theodore Tonks' death, it only makes sense to prepare for the worst.”_

_Harry stared at the goblin. Tonks's father was dead? He made a mental note to ask her about it, if he met her one of these days. He idly wondered if it had happened, before he had rescued Lupin and if so, why she had not mentioned it. Putting it aside for now, Harry pondered the rest of the information. To welcome Andromeda into the House once more, was a kindness he was most willing to offer her._

_If Tonks was any indication, Andromeda was a decent person and Harry assumed Ted Tonks had been as well. Harry was more than willing to end Bellatrix's and Narcissa's marriages, just to mess with Riddle a little bit. He knew, of course that Narcissa's marriage was over in all but parchment, considering Malfoy's actions._ _And Bellatrix... Well, who knew what that crazy woman was thinking? Harry found himself incredibly relieved, that he in fact did not understand the inner workings of her mind, because if he did, then it might be time to reserve a nice, cozy bed next to the Longbottoms at St. Mungo's._

_As Harry stared at the documents on the table, he heard a little voice in the back of his head that recalled Narcissa's lamentations into the night and, unknown to her, to a captivated audience of one. By her words that night, neither sister had been a willing wife to the sods they had been contracted to._

_Both of them had been subjected to an injustice, brought about by yet another archaic tradition in the wizarding world. He felt his mood darken. Something clearly had to be done about this ass backwards world he lived in. Furthermore, Narcissa's words made it seem Bellatrix had not been the insane woman she was now, before she'd been given to Lestrange._

“ _All right, let's get this over with, I have places to be, lads.”_

_The brothers shared an uncomfortable look. Then their faces turned grim, and Harry became distinctly uncomfortable. A grim goblin was not a pleasant sight, and they were oh, so cute and cuddly, usually. You know, the same way a Gremlin offspring was cute, **after** the transformation... _

“ _There's one more thing we must discuss, before we allow you to sign these papers, Mr. Potter. You can sign Narcissa's and Andromeda's documents right now, but there are problems with Bellatrix' contract you must be made aware of, before we can continue. You may want to sit down, because what we are about to reveal to you will affect your life, and a number of others.”_

_Harry sat down and the goblin removed the original marriage contract between Bellatrix, and Lestrange from the open folder. Harry eyed the piece of parchment curiously._

“ _There was a compulsion placed upon Bellatrix's contract, Mr. Potter,” Threepwood said and frowned down on the document and tapped a bony finger on the lower left side of the parchment, revealing the name **Rodolphus Lestrange.** _

“ _We believe Mr. Cygnus Black placed a compulsion upon the parchment before Lestrange signed it, his blood effectively binding Bellatrix to him. That does imply it was not a consensual marriage, does it not? That's not the worst of it, however. The witness to the signing of the contract placed his own compulsion upon the poor woman, most likely unbeknownst to Lestrange and Black. I believe you are acquainted with the man, in question?”_

_Guybrush moved up and tapped the parchment on the other side, revealing another name, written in neatly flowing handwriting. **Tom Marvolo Riddle.** Harry's eyes narrowed, and he leaned over to stare at the parchment. Threepwood cleared his throat to catch Harry's attention._

“ _Have you ever been placed under the Imperius, Mr. Potter?”_

_Harry leaned back and nodded “Twice. I managed to throw it off after a few seconds, both times.” Both goblins nodded sagely, a rather weird look, considering their somewhat mischievous nature. They could probably give the Weasley twins a run for their galleons, if Harry was any judge of character._

“ _Most people don't feel a thing, but whenever a strong mind is attacked by the Imperius, that person feels the presence of another, and a voice that usually gives the victim commands, as you are aware, Mr. Potter. You also know that, in order to throw it off, one must make a conscious decision, and actively fight it. You may not know, however, that it is your subconscious that starts the process. It detects the intruder and notifies your higher brain functions of the breach.” Threepwood said, and ran a hand through his sparse hair, before he continued._

“ _We have consulted with a curse breaker, as well as an experienced mind healer, and determined that these particular compulsions work in a similar way, but they are much more vague, not as direct as the Imperius. They are much worse however, in the way that you cannot throw them off. Your subconscious does sense the intrusion, and immediately starts fighting it. However, these disgusting compulsions are designed to corrupt the signal sent toward the higher brain functions, and in doing so, prevent the mind from sensing the alien presence and eject it, and in order to preserve the victim's sanity, the brain stops fighting and retreats.”_

_Harry raised an eyebrow at that. 'In order to preserve the victim's sanity'... Bellatrix was completely insane. No doubt, years in the maximum security ward at Azkaban, with no Animagus form to soften the impact of the Dementors was certain to leave anyone insane, but she was like that even before her incarceration. He told the two goblins as much. They seemed slightly affronted at his comment._

“ _Yes, we took that into account, Mr. Potter. We goblins are very good at our job and we are extremely thorough,” Guybrush said with a scowl. “What the healer believes to be the main cause for her apparent insanity are the two separate compulsions on the parchment. If one had been stronger than the other, she might not be in such dire straits, but unfortunately, both are almost exactly the same. Imagine, if you will, two separate Imperius', fighting for dominance, and your mind pulled one way and another, with neither one managing to emerge as superior. That is what we believe is happening in her mind, even as we speak.”_

_Harry was absolutely fuming by now and his mind was racing. The implications this revelation brought about... The fact the woman had been mind raped for over half her life was making him shake with anger. Harry's mind drifted to that time when he had seen Bellatrix and Snake Eyes going at it, and it made him feel even worse about it than before._

_Riddle was a rapist, on top of everything else. Harry resolved he'd castrate the bastard, when they met for the last battle. Or let Bellatrix do that, if things worked out that way. Harry picked up the parchment, and read it carefully._

_According to the contract, she had been sold to Lestrange on the fifth of April 1969, right out of Hogwarts, a few years before the start of the war. Harry wondered why no one had taken notice of Riddle's name on the contract, but quickly realized Voldemort's real name was known to but a few in this day, and likely to even fewer back then._

_Harry was also certain that this contract had not been brokered by the goblins because they would never have let it be finalized with these compulsions in place. And in the end, they had not had any reason to go through any of House Black's magical contracts until Sirius started sticking his nose into things._

_Then, there was the matter of Bellatrix's trial, or lack thereof. The trial Harry had witnessed in Dumbledore's Pensieve had been a farce, and he would not be surprised to find that no one had even bothered to make certain Bellatrix had been under her own persuasion, when she had supposedly tortured the Longbottoms into insanity._

_Aurors out for blood and typical Ministry corruption and incompetence had seen two Blacks sentenced to Azkaban without due process and innocent, no less. How many people had been unjustly damned by those hacks over there? Harry slapped his palm on the table and glared at the goblins._

“ _Let's fuck a little with old Riddle, shall we?”_

_Guybrush brought forth a black wooden case and removed from it a familiar looking black quill. Harry scowled and his right hand clenched into a fist, the words 'I must not tell lies' stark white and puffy against his tanned skin. A blood quill. He wasn't surprised; he had been expecting it, in fact, but his mind still travelled to all those nights spent in detention/torture with the bloody Toad._

_He grabbed the quill and brought it to the document annulling Narcissa's marriage and signed his name. He did the same with Andromeda's document, feeling the familiar sting as his name appeared on his hand for a moment before disappearing once more. He looked at the brothers, as a thought entered his mind._

“ _Will Malfoy and Narcissa not be notified of the fact that they are no longer married? The same applies to Andromeda's notification of her re-induction into House Black. I am trying very hard to be 'missing', you know.”_

_Guybrush and Threepwood shared a mischievous grin before putting the papers into the briefcase. “The Director has suggested, unofficially, you understand, that we forget to send Ms. Narcissa Black her notification. Apparently we tried and tried to get a hold of Mr. Malfoy, but being a wanted criminal in hiding made it all but impossible. Oh, and we must be awfully forgetful, despite our tender years, because we will have forgotten to owl Andromeda's letter as well.”_

_Harry grinned at the pair of them. He liked them quite well, and the director seemed like a person he'd get along with famously, as well. At last, Harry grabbed Bellatrix's contract, and held it in front of him._

“ _How do we break the compulsions upon Bellatrix, boys? Will it be enough to void the contract?”_

“ _Yes, you could simply sign your name on the line there with the blood quill, and should effectively break the charm and remove the compulsions from the poor woman. Our mind healer, however advices against removing them without taking certain precautions first. He believes being placed under such strong charms for so long will no doubt have taken its toll on her mind,” Guybrush explained._

“ _I don't doubt that,” Harry said. “What might happen to her?”_

“ _He theorizes that such abrupt removal, may be akin to removing two thirds of her mind, resulting in her mind completely breaking, or she might enter a vegetative state. Either way, it is not deemed feasible,” Threepwood said._

_Harry frowned darkly. His heart went out to Bellatrix. It truly did. No one should be subjected to such brutalities. “What do you suggest, then?”_

_For some reason, Harry instinctively knew the answer to his question, and he did not like it. Not one bit. Guybrush nodded, then reached into the briefcase and brought out, yet another folder, this one containing a single piece of parchment, identical to the one Harry had been looking at earlier._

“ _As you can see Mr. Potter, this is another annulment document, identical to the one on the table. This one, has been charmed with a compulsion. Once you sign it, Riddle's and Lestrange's charms will cease to function, and the new charm will take effect, instantly transferring the power over Bellatrix, to you.”_

_Harry scowled unhappily at the goblins. His hunch had been right, then. “So, Bellatrix is simply being handed from one master to another? Will I have to be her master forever, in order to prevent her from descending even further into insanity?”_

_Guybrush and Threepwood looked at Harry with a sad gaze. They had known the lad would not be happy with this, but they also knew that he would do it, his noble heart more than apparent to anyone who spent more than a few moments in his presence. Threepwood, the bolder of the twins, decided to answer these questions._

“ _You must not look at it in that way. We are removing a pair of highly toxic compulsions from her mind, replacing them with what we hope will be a much more benign connection. According to the mind healer, removing just one of the compulsions already in place would result in her mind immediately starting to heal itself. A connection with a mind of a completely different nature than those two vile humans, will help things along immensely. You, Mr. Potter are a kind, caring and honourable man, and the connection will reflect that. Her mind should react accordingly.”_

“ _This will help her recover, Harry,” Guybrush said almost pleadingly. The young man sighed. There was no way he was going to be able to refuse now, damn it._

“ _I'll ask again; how long will I have to maintain the connection? How long until she is stable? You understand I'm fighting a war. What will happen to her, should I die?”_

_The brothers smiled at Harry. He was going to go through with it. Of course he was._

_A smiling Threepwood continued. “The fact Bellatrix is even moving around suggests an incredibly strong mind Mr. Potter. The state of her mind may be much better, than it has any right to be. Her stay in Azkaban may actually have been in her favour, as the Dementors will have dampened the connection to Lestrange, and Riddle's connection will have all but disappeared during his time as a spirit. The mind healer believes it may even take her a mere few weeks to stabilize enough, to remove the compulsion, which will happen on its own.”_

“ _That's clever,” Harry said._

“ _Yes, quite. The stronger her mind grows, the weaker the link becomes, until it fades away completely. But, just to be safe, we recommend taking her to someone she should care about. A family member, perhaps? As it happens, Andromeda Black is a mind healer of great skill and a master Legilimens. Having Bellatrix stay with her would be the best thing for her, as her sister will be able to help things along. If she's willing, of course. Andromeda may also prove to be strong enough to have the connection transferred to her, should the worst happen, and the connection to Bellatrix severs with you too soon.”_

“ _Will Riddle and Lestrange know who broke the compulsion?”_

“ _No, the connection will simply disappear from their minds and I see no reason to think Riddle or Lestrange should trace this to you,” Supplied Guybrush. “Gringotts has many, many ways to break such charms. This is just the easiest way to do so in this instance and really the only way to save Bellatrix. They may even believe her to be dead, which would be best, I think. Now, once the charm on the new document takes hold of Ms. Black, she will be compelled to seek you out Mr. Potter. As a result, I would suggest you postpone your trip, at least while you sort things out with Bellatrix.”_

“ _So, how does this work, exactly?_

“ _Simply go somewhere you believe her to have Apparated before, and will her to be there, and she will be compelled to arrive in short order,” Threepwood said and smiled at him._

_Harry sighed. Yet another thing on his mind. Literally, this time. He readied the quill, and brought it to the parchment. Once he was finished, he let out a long breath through the nose, and stood from the table and thanked the goblins._

_As he prepared to leave, he turned to the brothers and asked them for the notifications of the voiding of the contracts. When the tiny goblins inquired as to why, he told them his identity would obviously not remain a secret once he brought Bellatrix to her sister. Once he had those in hand, he hurried out of the bank and into Knockturn Alley._

000000

_Voldemort twitched in his seat, when he felt a small throb disappear from the back of his mind, a feeling he'd had whispering to him since 1969, ever since the day he had placed the compulsion upon Bellatrix. The connection was gone, he realized. He quickly called a Death Eater to his side, and placed a long, bony finger on the man's Dark Mark, focusing on Bellatrix. Waiting for a few moments, he became restless when she did not appear._

_He Apparated to a safe house in London, and searched every room in the house, only to find it empty. As he slowly made his way to the living room, Rodolphus Lestrange appeared as well, looking very flustered. Noting the rage on his master's face, his servant dropped to his knees at once. Tom motioned for him to rise._

“ _Milord, it's Bellatrix. The connection. It's gone, I cannot feel her any more. She's not here, is she?”_

“ _Indeed, she is not, Rodolphus. It seems the goblins have removed the charms placed upon the contract. Not overly surprising, I suppose, but it is a most troubling development, my friend. She was privy to a lot of information, after all. I wonder where she will go? Narcissa is in the wind, as well as her sister Andromeda. No doubt they are hiding under the Fidelius, somewhere. Stay alert, Rodolphus. If there's even whisper of a rumour, regarding her whereabouts, investigate. We must find her! But first, take a team of followers, and change every password where applicable and vacate every safe house, in case Bella has been taken by the enemy.”_

_The servant nodded his head gravely, and Apparated away. Voldemort sat down in a nearby chair, his hand tapping his chin repeatedly, deep in thought. Of course, they could not ignore the chance that she might be dead. Well, better that, than in the hands of the enemy._

000000

_Bellatrix Black walked along Knockturn Alley, her face hidden beneath the hood of her robes. She was thankful for the evening darkness, which further helped hiding her features. She felt light on her feet, light in her soul. Lighter than she had for decades. For one thing, she did not feel the urge to kill every person she came across, nor did she feel the need to torture them, which was strange, because it was her favourite pastime._

_At least, it had been. Only a few minutes earlier, something had snapped in her mind and it felt as if a cloud had been lifted from her mind. She had been disoriented for a few moments, and she had almost panicked, but then a light, soothing blanket had descended upon her mind, and she had calmed down once more. It felt good and wholesome. Benign, and she felt warm whenever she thought of it._

_She turned to the right and into a side alley. When she was halfway down the alley, a man stepped into her path. She stopped dead in her tracks. He was the same man she had fought at Malfoy Manor and at the Snatcher's HQ._

_Her initial reaction was to reach for her wand, but she found she could not. She felt compelled not to. The man in front of her smiled at her, a kind, caring smile, with a hint of sadness to it. Quick as a flash, he grabbed her hand and without warning, Apparated them away from Knockturn Alley._

_She found herself standing by a park bench, bathed in the glow of a nearby light post. The man sat down, and smiled at her, then motioned for her to sit as well. She did. She had not felt compelled to do so, but his smile was so nice and disarming. Not to mention sincere. Very different from the devious grins of her master she was used to, or the mocking sneers of her husband Rodolphus._

“ _Hello, Bellatrix,” the man said. “You must be wondering what you're doing here, with me, of all people. I suppose it would be good form to show you who I am before this goes any further.”_

_The man removed his cap and Bellatrix's eyes immediately focused on the lighting shaped scar on his forehead. Potter? She could scarcely believe it. For months her master (somehow that thought felt strange and wrong now), had been searching for him and here he was, sitting with her in some park, without a care in the world. She could not help it, she started laughing, which turned into raucous bellows. Oh, this was simply smashing. She eyed the young man, who was watching her with a bemused expression on his face._

“ _Harry Potter, in the flesh. You're looking fit, for a dead man. Quite a bit different from the little boy I fought in the Department of Mysteries,” she said with a teasing lilt in her voice._

_Her eyes lingered on his ears for a bit, before finding his emerald eyes. Harry noted her own were a beautiful violet, marred by a sadness she did not feel. Not yet. He felt the last of his resentment toward the woman evaporate. He had been certain he would hate her, hell, he **wanted** to hate her, even knowing what he did. It would be so much easier. _

_Instead, he saw a woman, a woman who'd been dealt an awful hand in life, and it showed. He saw it in her eyes, clear as day. Still, he was not about to let her teasing go unanswered. Bellatrix noticed a mischievous glint form in his eyes._

“ _I regret to inform you, that you're looking mostly the same, Bellatrix. You need to eat more, get some meat on those bones.” The woman leaned her head back and let out a surprisingly lovely, velvety laugh. At least, it was not the insane cackle he had always associated with her. Both of them noticed a pair of Muggles, walking their dog. She returned her gaze to Harry and gave him an enigmatic smile._

“ _So why are we here? Why did I feel so compelled to meet you? And why could I not draw my wand and hex you into oblivion? I feel strange tonight, strangely... clear and level headed. No sense of seething hatred, either, and very little anger. I look at those Muggle fools on the other side of the street, picking up their dog's droppings and I don't mind them much. Or at all, really. I know for a fact, that less than and hour ago, seeing Muggles perform such menial acts would have caused me to look at them with disgust and contempt, and most likely, I would have tortured and killed them.”_

_Harry inclined his head slightly. “I'm not surprised, Bellatrix. There's no easy way to tell you this, so I will just go ahead. I assume you're aware that on the fifth of April 1969, your father, Cygnus Black signed a marriage contract on your behalf, to Rodolphus Lestrange.”_

“ _Of course I'm aware, Potter,” Bellatrix snarked. “It's no secret.”_

“ _Alright,” Harry said. “What I'm certain you don't know about is the compulsion charm your father placed upon the contract, which bound you to your husband. What's more, the witness to the contract, Tom Marvolo Riddle placed his own charm upon the contract, binding you to him as well. To be fair, it is believed he did so without your father's consent or knowledge.”_

“ _A compulsion?” she asked with a frown._

“ _Yes. I am certain a smart witch such as yourself understands the ramifications of having two such links fighting over dominance of your mind. As your Head of House, I have voided the contract, thus releasing you from the bonds. Unfortunately, due to complications with releasing you from the charms, I had to place you under a compulsion of my own, which will disappear in time, as you recover and become stronger. Do you understand what I am saying, Bellatrix?”_

_Bellatrix stared the young man in the eyes, shaking her head slightly in disbelief. She wanted to tell him he was crazy, that he was a lying bastard and he was lucky she did not hex him into next week, but she knew he was telling the truth. Somehow, she knew those eyes would never lie to her._ _Her eyes narrowed in desperation as the implications of his words hit her. She had done such terrible things in her life. All the lives she had taken, all the pain and suffering she had caused. An image of the Longbottoms writhing in pain on the floor of their home, flashed through her mind._

_Sirius._

_She had killed little Siri. Her own cousin! While she had never really gotten along with her cousin, she had cared about him when she was young. And his brother Regulus. Walburga had been a crazy bitch, but every family had that one crazy relative. And Orion, well, he'd been mostly the same as her own father, so it was no wonder Sirius had left to live with the Potters, who she knew to have been good people._

_There were other things going through her mind, as well. Memories that involved her, her former Lord as well as Rodolphus in... intimate situations. They had... She felt something wet on her cheek. She brought a finger to her face, and scooped up what turned out to be a tear. She stared at it, as if it was some foreign substance. She had not cried in decades._

_More tears fell, and she started shaking as her body was racked with sobs. She felt Harry hesitantly grab a hold of her, and bring her to him and wrap his arms around her. At first she recoiled, the touch of a man revolting, but after a while she gave in, and buried her face in his shoulder and the floodgates opened. She wept for herself and she wept for her victims._

_For a long time, she wept, until she could weep no more. All the while, Harry was silent. What could he possibly say to ease such terrible, heart wrenching pain? Once no more tears would come, she brought her feet upon the bench, and laid her head in his lap._

_Bellatrix was physically, and mentally exhausted, Harry knew. He himself felt utterly defeated and helpless when thinking about the woman whose head rested in his lap. He could not even begin to imagine what she was going through as the weight of her actions, involuntary or not, crashed upon her. She did not even have the strength to stand on her own two feet._

_She stared dully into the darkness beyond the light. Harry rose with her in his arms. She placed her arms around his neck and looked listlessly up at him, her violet eyes dead and empty. Harry felt the anger and disgust he had felt toward Riddle and Cygnus and Lestrange earlier in the day, erupt in his chest once more. He was careful not to let Bellatrix feel it through the bond, however._

“ _Where are you taking me? To Azkaban?”_

“ _No, Bellatrix. If I can help it, you will never see the inside of that accursed place ever again. I'm taking you somewhere safe,” Harry said and Apparated away._

00000

_Harry walked up to the small cottage, where Tonks had patched him up after his fight with Greyback, holding an unconscious Bellatrix in his arms. She had faded as soon as they had appeared on the other side of the street, her exhaustion finally getting the better of her. Tonks and Lupin were at home. Thankfully, there was no one else there._

_He lightly kicked the door a few times, and heard Tonks walk to the door. She yanked it open and glared at the person who she was certain was a door to door salesman, momentarily forgetting about the notice-me-nots placed upon the property. Her face lit up and she smiled happily when she recognized Harry._

“ _Oi! Remus! Harry's here!” She eyed the woman in Harry's arms and grinned wickedly. “Wotcher, Wonder Boy! Who's the girlfriend? She have a bit too much to drink? Ya need a place to crash? I can expand the sofa, but I do not condone...” Bellatrix moaned in her sleep and turned her head a little, affording her niece the first good look at her face. Tonk's reaction was immediate. She backed away quickly, drew her wand and pointed it at her aunt._

“ _Bloody Hell, Harry! Did something rot your brain? What the devil are you thinking!?”_

_Remus came running at his wife's outburst. He recognized Harry at once and his eyes widened when he saw who was cradled in his arms, sleeping like a baby, despite Dora's yelling. He stared at his friend's son. “Harry, why are you holding Bellatrix Lestrange in your arms?”_

“ _Sorry to bother you Remus, Tonks. A lot happened, this afternoon. But first, can we put Bellatrix in a bed? She's exhausted and needs rest. She won't do anything, you have my word. If it makes you feel better, know that I have her wand in my coat pocket.” The Lupins moved out of the way, and Harry carried Bellatrix over the threshold and Remus closed the door._

“ _Your bed?”_

_At their reluctant approval, Harry carried the beleaguered woman up the stairs and dressed her down in the bed. As he made to leave the room, he glanced at her; she looked so peaceful when she was sleeping. Harry sighed and closed the door. It would not last. Once he descended the stairs, he removed his Bag, coat, and armbraces, then he rolled up his sleeves._

_Remus motioned for him to join them in the kitchen for a cup of tea. Tonks was pretty much glaring at him, while Remus waited patiently, since he knew Harry would have a good reason for all this. Harry rubbed his face wearily, before taking a drink of his tea._

“ _Care to explain why you brought that murdering psycho bitch into our home, Harry?” Tonks asked and looked him up and down. “You don't look any worse for wear, so I'll assume there was not a big fight.”_

_Harry gave her a stern look, which seemed to deflate a somewhat confused Tonks. Her hair turned a mousy colour. Harry did not stare people down. He was a gentle and shy boy._

“ _I suggest you curb your tone, Tonks. There are things you know nothing about and I assure you, you will be ready to sick up once I'm done tonight. Can you contact your mum and your aunt Narcissa, and ask them to come here? They need to hear this, and I would really like it if I could tell you all together. I don't particularly want to go through this, more than once.”_

_Tonks gave Lupin a look, before she nodded and went to send a Patronus to her Mum's. “Narcissa is staying with Mum. I told her it was urgent, so they should be here in a few moments,” Tonks said as she took her seat once more._

_Harry nodded and took another sip of his tea. He made a note of the fact that Draco's name was not mentioned. Nor was Snape's. Putting his cup down, he reached over and grabbed Tonks' hand. She arched an eyebrow._

“ _I'm sorry about your Dad, Tonks. I heard about it today. Fucking Snatchers. At least they won't be any trouble any more, yeah.” Tonks smiled weakly and thanked him for his kind words and his part in blowing up their operation. “I only wish I would have gone after them a little sooner,” Harry said bitterly. Tonks squeezed his hand in return._

“ _You can't save everybody, Harry. Nor can you do everything by yourself. You're already doing more than most. And don't you dare blame yourself for his death. I don't and my Mum certainly doesn't.” Tonks smiled at the look on Harry's face when he realized what she had said._

“ _Mum knows, Harry. As does Narcissa. Aunt Cissy figured out who you were, after that rescue of yours and when she and Mum started to fix things between them, Narcissa told her, in a show of good faith. You don't have to worry, Harry, they're Blacks and Blacks know how to keep a secret,” Tonks said and tapped her temple with her index finger._

“ _I suppose,” Harry said. He glanced up at the ceiling as he became aware of moaning and thrashing on the upper floor. He sighed deeply. He had known this would happen, being something of an expert on nightmares himself. He suspected his own where kid's stuff when compared to hers, though._

“ _Bellatrix is having a nightmare, and it's a bad one, by the sounds she's making. I'm going to see if I can't calm her. I'll be back when she's settled down again.”_

_Harry left the small kitchen and hurried up the stairs, making his way to the room. He entered and closed the door. Bellatrix was twisting and turning on the bed, moaning out names he did not recognize, well, except Sirius' name, of course. Or Frank and Alice. Harry sat down on the bed and gathered Bellatrix in his arms. She barely noticed that he'd taken her in his arms, rocking her back and forth. Eventually, she buried her face in the crook of his neck, and started crying._

_As Harry worked to soothe the troubled woman, he wondered how twisted fate seemed to be. Had someone told him, just that morning he'd be doing this, he'd have told them they were insane. He dimly heard the front door open, and a pair of women rush into the house. He closed his eyes and tuned out everything but Bellatrix; she deserved his full attention and by Merlin, she was going to get it._

_000000_

_Remus and Tonks jumped slightly, as Andromeda and Narcissa came striding through the front door. They had apparently left the house in a hurry as they were both a bit untidy. Andromeda was not one to care overly much about appearances, whereas Narcissa would, as a rule, not leave the house looking anything less than perfect. However, they had been told it was extremely urgent and they had dropped everything and Apparated right over._

“ _Well, Nymphadora, we're here,” Andromeda said as she entered the kitchen with her sister, two years her junior, following in her wake. “What is the emergency?” Tonks glared at her Mother._

“ _Don't call me that, Mum! It's Tonks.”_

“ _I refuse to call you by your surname, Nymphadora,” Andromeda said, with an emphasis on the name. “Your dislike of your name is both juvenile and foolish,” Andromeda huffed irritably. “I've told you a thousand times, Nymphadora is a perfectly fine name. Just be grateful your middle name is not Euphemia.”_

_All the while, Narcissa had been staring at the coat and backpack lying on the floor, by the sofa. She thought she recognized both. She looked over to her niece, who smirked at her, confirming her suspicions._

“ _Harry's here.”_

_The effect on Narcissa was instantaneous. She conjured forth a mirror, and started making herself as presentable as she could, her wand tying her dark brown hair in a messy bun. She applied a little glamour to her eyes, cheekbones and lips. She was careful not to use too much, she was certain Harry preferred women as natural as possible. She could not explain why, but to her, he just seemed to be a man of simple tastes, and she was quite fond of the idea._

_Andromeda and her daughter watched in amusement as the woman busied herself in front of the mirror, while Lupin took a very sudden interest in the kitchen sink. He had thought Andie had been laying it on thick for her daughter's benefit, but it was quite apparent, Narcissa really was enamoured with Harry, going by her reaction. After a while, Andromeda turned to her daughter._

“ _Surely you did not contact us with your Patronus, just to get a front row seat when your aunt embarrasses herself, in front of Mr. Potter,” she said, her tone teasing despite her serious expression._

_Her sister made a face, and vanished the mirror, then took a seat at the table, accepting a cup from Remus. Narcissa eyed her niece curiously. There was something big going on, judging by how serious Dora's demeanour went all of a sudden, and Remus was unusually grim, even by his standards._ _Both sisters shuddered when Tonks placed a very distinct, curved wand on the table. A wand both Narcissa, and Andromeda knew very well. The sisters stared at the wand, then at each other. The only way Bellatrix would ever give up her wand, was if she had been caught, or killed._

“ _If you're wondering where Harry is, he's upstairs, with Bellatrix. Apparently, she's having a nightmare, and he went upstairs to calm her down.”_

_The sisters stared at Tonks, their faces locked in a mask of disbelief. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Narcissa cleared her throat and spoke, her shaking voice betraying her fear of her deranged sister._

“ _I'm sorry, did you say Bellatrix? And you say Mr. Potter, of all people, brought her here?” Narcissa watched her niece's face turned from serious to grim, and her hair turned dark grey. Lupin answered the afeared women, sitting on the other side of the table._

“ _She did. Harry arrived at our doorstep a little while ago, carrying her in his arms. Bellatrix Lestrange, the second most wanted criminal in the whole of magical Britain was actually sleeping in the arms of Harry Potter. Though I must point out, that he seems to be making a habit of holding the Black sisters, in his arms. I do believe it is your turn, Andie.” Narcissa huffed in mock annoyance, and turned her head, not quite managing to hide the slight blush on her face. Andromeda was not so easily distracted, however, and she pressed the issue firmly._

“ _Why is Bellatrix here?”_

“ _I believe I should answer that, everyone.”_

_The people sitting at the table jumped at the sound of Harry's voice. He smiled apologetically, and ventured into the kitchen, where he leaned against the counter and crossed his arms over his chest. Giving the sisters Black a once over, he was surprised to see how alike Bellatrix and her sister Andromeda were. Add thirty pounds to Bellatrix, and lighten her hair colour a little bit, and they'd practically be twins._

_Turning his attention to Narcissa, he was glad to see she was looking better than the last time he'd seen her. She seemed happier, at least. He noticed her hair was dark brown now, and he had to admit she looked very much like her sisters, even though her likeness to Bellatrix was less striking than that of Andromeda._ _His eyes found her hair again. Evidently, before all this, she had charmed her hair blonde, most likely in an effort to fit in with the Malfoys. Inwardly, he smiled. She was much more preferable as a brunette, and it complemented her skin tone much better, than her formerly blonde locks._

_Narcissa and her sister were both absolutely gorgeous. Shaking his head to get rid of those thoughts, he noticed Narcissa smiling demurely at him, clearly enjoying the attention. No one else seemed to notice, thankfully. He cleared his throat._

“ _So, I had an interesting meeting at Gringotts this afternoon...”_

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_Andromeda pressed the fingers of both hands to her temples, and rubbed them slowly, before she sighed deeply, and shook her head. She was clearly frustrated and angry. Narcissa was much the same, while Tonks and Remus shared a look, but said nothing. They had not known Bellatrix, before everything that had happened to her, so this was not the time to say anything. It was a time to listen and learn._

“ _This... explains so much, Mr. Potter,” Andromeda said. “The sudden change in her personality, the mood swings, everything. How she went and chased after that bastard Vo... Riddle. She is an extremely intelligent woman, and smart people generally don't go and join a cult.”_

_Narcissa picked up where her sister left off. “Bella was always the one of us sisters who was most accepting of the Black family motto 'Tojours Pur'. Always pure. But she was also loving and caring, if a bit cold, to those she did not know. A trait we sisters all share, I suppose. I must confess, I took to the pureblood mantra, as well, as you know. Andie, well, she always hated it, and was smart enough to leave, when she had the chance.”_

“ _So, you'll help?” Harry asked Andromeda in a hopeful voice._

“ _Of course I'm willing to help,” Andromeda said. “Bellatrix is my sister. I could hardly do anything less, especially knowing what I do now. You made the right choice, when you brought her here. Being with family will certainly help with the healing process, and we sisters have missed our Bella terribly. If it is at all possible, I do believe you should visit her regularly, until the bond disappears. I am going to have to insist you stay the night as well.”_

“ _And why is that?” Harry asked Andromeda._

“ _In her vulnerable state, she will need someone she trusts when she wakes up in an unknown house. Even if she was exhausted, the mere fact she could relax enough to fall asleep in your arms speaks volumes. The bond also helps, naturally. She will sleep here tonight, and Cissy and I will take her to my home tomorrow. After Cissy came to live with me, I put it under a Fidelius. I am my own secret keeper, and I will reveal its location to you, when we get there.”_

_Harry accepted Andromeda's reasoning. “All right. Now, I have further news for you.” Harry walked over to his Bag, pulled out a pair of envelopes, and a satin pouch. He handed the sisters one envelope each, placed the pouch on the table and sat down again. He waited in silence as the sisters read the parchments, and allowed a small smile to adorn his face, as the realization dawned on the pair of them._

“ _I had a rather productive day, all things considered,” he admitted._

_Narcissa put down the document, and closed her eyes for a moment. She smiled a beautific smile, and a look of absolute contentment found its way onto her face when she opened her eyes again. She reached across the table and took hold of Harry's hand. She squeezed it tightly and looked him right in the eyes. The look in her icy blue eyes startled Harry in its intensity. All common sense told him ice should never look so warm and inviting, and yet..._

“ _Thank you so much for this Mr. Potter. I know I do not deserve this kindness, even if you did it mostly for the benefit of the House.”_

_Harry moved to say something, but Narcissa shook her head to stop him. “Please, Mr. Potter, I need to say this, to get this off my chest. I knew about many of the things my ex husband did in the name of his... master, and I did nothing to stop it. In all fairness, I would not have been able to do much, even if I had brought my knowledge to the Auror office. Amelia would have taken it seriously, I'd imagine, but the Wizengamot would have swept it under the rug. Too many of them are, or were in Mr. Malfoy's pocket. Most likely, it would have cost me my life, and I was too much of a coward to chance it.”_

_Narcissa sighed softly. “So I ignored it. I need you to understand, Mr. Potter, that I was raised a pureblood and have spent most of my life among people who view all those with less than pure blood, with at least a measure of disdain. I even helped Mr. Malfoy raise our son in such fashion, and he took to it wholeheartedly, a fact I have come to sorely regret. I do not know if I will ever be able to completely rid myself of that way of thinking, but my sister has helped me. Andie and I come from opposite ends of the spectrum, and living with her has afforded me a different perspective.”_

_Narcissa's eyes became desperate and pleading, a look that did not seem at home on her lovely face, and it made Harry uncomfortable as Narcissa soldiered on. “I wish to beg your forgiveness for my actions, or inactions. I am aware of my son's behaviour, and actions toward you and your friends, and again I would like to apologize for my part in that, even if it was indirect. I would do more, but I do not know what more I can do, except express my sincere hope, that you will allow me to stand at your side, to let me help you realize your hopes and dreams.”_

_Harry stared at Narcissa. Where was she going with this? He realized she was apologizing, of course and what's more, she seemed sincere. She was not making excuses, she was accepting her role in whatever happened in the past, during her marriage to Malfoy, and it made Harry glad. They had not spoken since he had exploded at her the night of his raid on Malfoy manor, and he'd had the feeling she hated him, but this seemed to prove otherwise._

_He managed to keep his face neutral, for the most part, but in the back of his head, he realized he was entirely too happy to find that was not the case. He also did not mind she kept holding his hand. Not at all. In fact, he quite liked it. He gave her a small smile, and was surprised when she blushed a little, and averted her eyes, before forcing it under control._

“ _Narcissa, I would like to apologize for my outburst that night in the forest. I was out of line, even if what I said was true. I could have been more gentle, given what you all had been through. Now to the other matter. I did not dissolve your marriage to that blonde bastard in some ploy to benefit House Black, though it most certainly does. You were given to him, via contract which you had no control over, same as your sister, even if it was not charmed to hell by some sick, meddling bastards, forcing their own twisted ideals upon their children.”_

_And Harry went on. “Anyway, I voided it because it was the right thing to do, especially after his actions against you and Draco. Lucius Malfoy had a family once, and he should have protected the two of you. He chose himself, and his ambitions instead. After the way I grew up, family is a sacred thing to me and it sickens me that he could throw it all away, Narcissa. And the fact that your father was willing to basically sell his own daughters off, in a bid to increase his power and influence... I wonder, how many young men and women have been forced into such marriages? I can't...”_

_Narcissa stared at the boy in wonder. He was practically shaking, his eyes reflecting a myriad of emotions; anger, passion, disgust, even sadness. The sincerity of it astounded her, and it made her squeeze his hand even tighter._ _It also reinforced her belief that he would need all the help she could give him when he took his place on the Wizengamot, if he so chose. Honest, noble men did not survive in that place. It was a place of cutthroats and back stabbers. In essence, perfect for her and her machinations._

_She stole a look over at her sister, who stared at Harry in wide eyed fascination. She imagined she herself had a similar look on her face. She noticed the smiles on the faces of her niece, and her husband. When Harry continued, she leaned over the table slightly, all her attention on her young Head of House. He looked at both her and Andromeda, a fiery determination shining out of his eyes._

“ _I am your Head of House, Narcissa and the way I see it, I have an obligation to take care of you. All three of you sisters. Even if you do not accept the offer to become a Black again, Andromeda, I consider you a part of this family, and you will always have a place in my House. The same goes for Tonks and Lupin. To that end, I had these commissioned today,” Harry said and reached for the pouch, and removed a pair of smaller ones._

“ _They are directly connected to a vault I had the goblins set up and with a drop of your blood, they will be keyed to you two. I know Sirius left Remus and Tonks a lot of money, so they should be fine. You received a good amount as well, Andromeda, but Narcissa and Bellatrix got nothing, which was understandable at the time. In the pouch, there is one more, intended for Bellatrix.”_

_A warm feeling slithered through Andromeda, and she smiled at Harry, who smiled back. A slight fluttering in her heart surprised her, but she managed to keep a straight face, though it was hard! To hear such words being said by the Head of House Black was a dream come true for her._ _He had the makings a proper Head, and a man she could easily throw her lot behind. She gave the parchment in front of her another look, her smile never faltering, and she reached for Harry's other hand._

“ _I gladly accept your offer of becoming a Black once more, Mr. Potter. I never regretted leaving, but it always hurt to know I was not considered a part of my family any more, even if I did not share their ideals. I imagine you plan to change things, to make House Black stand for something nobler and genuine, and I would be honoured to stand with you and my sisters, as a force for change in the world, once this war is over.”_

“ _We stand with you, of course, but you knew that, boyo,” Tonks said, and smiled at him._

_Harry looked at the people present in the room, and smiled, happy at the way things had turned out. There was a question that had been eating at him for a while though, and he felt he needed an answer._

“ _How is Draco doing these days, Narcissa?” The woman retracted her hand and crossed her hands under her breasts. She gave him a pained look and averted her eyes for a moment, while Harry kept his eyes focused on her. When she returned his look, however, her eyes were frigidly cold and her voice even more so and Harry was quite surprised._

“ _Severus and I, along with my... son, had been hiding at a house Severus keeps if his other home has been compromised. A few days after the rescue, before the Order had responded to Severus' contact, Draco disappeared, leaving a note for us to find. He went to find his father, Mr. Potter. Apparently he was not willing to abandon his teachings, despite what Mr. Malfoy did to him.”_

_Harry stared at Narcissa at that revelation, then shook his head in disbelief. Narcissa shrugged her shoulders, and continued._

“ _Furthermore, he did not believe a group of filthy Mudbloods and half bloods, and beings of even lesser standing had a chance of defeating the 'Great Lord' as he called him. I am ashamed that he would waste his chance at a new, better life. As yet, Severus has been unable to determine if he is alive still. I know you are aware that Severus made an Unbreakable vow to keep Draco safe, before the start of your sixth year at Hogwarts._

_I have released Severus from the vow, given my son's foolishness. Knowing the Dark Lord as I do, I have my doubts as to me son being alive still. The Dark lord does not forgive, as you well know, Mr. Potter. I was hoping Bellatrix might have some answers, so that I may put this behind me. If he's still alive, however, the things Riddle will have had him do, in order to accept him into the ranks will undoubtedly have been horrific and vile”_

“ _I am sorry, Narcissa,” Harry said soberly. She waved away his words._

“ _Do not blame yourself for his choices. You are my Head of House, and I will not have it. Mr. Malfoy's son chose his path, as we all must and whatever his fate, he sought it out on his own.”_

_Again, Harry was surprised at the coldness in her voice, when she spoke of her son. “If you ever want to talk, I'm here for you.”_

_He gave her hand a squeeze, before he rose from the chair which prompted the others to do so as well. It was getting late and he wanted to get a few hours sleep. Tonks enlarged the sofa and conjured a pair of thick blankets, while Andromeda and Narcissa walked to the door._

“ _We will return in the morning, around ten,” Andromeda said. “I am anxious to meet Bellatrix, I have not seen her in many years and Narcissa has not met her either. Not really. I think us meeting Bella and moving her to my home shall be quite enough for tomorrow. For now, I bid you good night.”_

_Harry bid the Lupins good night, and went upstairs to the master bedroom. He found Bellatrix sleeping in the same spot he had left her, before going back downstairs. He watched her for a few moments, and walked around the bed, and lay down on top of the covers on that side, and was asleep in moments._

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“ _So, what did you think, Andie?” Narcissa asked her sister when they had returned to the older woman's house. Andromeda made her way into the kitchen, and got herself a glass of water, which she finished quickly, and then turned to face her sister. She was, Narcissa realized to her amusement, a little flushed, and her eyes were a little glossy._

“ _It was a good meeting, and I cannot wait to meet Bella in the morning.” She smiled. “I was fine, until he presented me with the chance of becoming one with my family again. I had to keep from crying, but it was so hard, Cissy. And I just know he will bring the Blacks to the Light. You cannot believe how utterly elated I am to be able to say the name Andromeda Black and feel pride and joy, instead of disgust and sadness.”_

_Narcissa smiled at her sister, a smile that turned slightly smug. Andromeda suddenly felt somewhat nervous. Her sister did not smile that often, and never did she smile in such a smug way. It was, after all, rather unbecoming of a lady. It did not help either, that Andie knew precisely why her sister was smiling at her, in such a way._

“ _I was talking about Harry.”_

_Andromeda blushed, and averted her eyes and made a show of filling her glass again with water. Damn that Narcissa. She just had to notice the way she had been looking at the young man earlier. With a sigh, she turned to her sister, who stood in the doorway to the kitchen, leaning against the frame with a knowing smile on her face. Andie gave her a small one in return._

“ _He's quite something, is he not?” Narcissa remarked, as she grabbed her own glass from the cabinet and with a slight wave of her wand, filled it with water._

_Andromeda sighed softly. “I believe I must take back everything I have said to you regarding Harry, Cissy. I very nearly melted onto the floor, when he smiled at me back there. I just hope he did not notice it. Or Nymphadora. Merlin! I would never hear the end of it, Cissy,” Andromeda said and ran a hand through her luscious locks. “Merlin's wrinkled ass, what the hell is wrong with me? I've met the man once, and my heart is fluttering like a teenager's! He's almost seven years younger than Nymphadora, for Merlin's sake! Then there's Ginevra.”_

_Narcissa laughed at her sister's perturbed state. “Language, sister dear! I had similar thoughts, and feelings at first, Andie. There's something about him that calls to me. Something that has been growing stronger, and I cannot ignore it. Nor shall I try do so. I am aware of the youngest Weasley's feelings, but I am selfish, and do not care. Then again, according to Nymphadora, Ms. Weasley has been spending an awful lot of time with the Longbottom boy, so it may not matter. Once there's time, I plan on making my feelings known. He may not return those feelings, but I must at least make the effort. If only to quiet my heart.”_

_Narcissa **Scourgified** the glass and returned it to the cabinet. “I also wanted you to know Andie, that I will not be opposed to the idea of you making eyes at him, or even Bella, should it come to that, for whatever reason. You know the position he will be in once the war is over, and you also know what he hopes to achieve. I've told you as much. Though, I doubt we know even a fraction of his plans. In any event, he will need the support of strong, intelligent people in the right positions and there are none as strong as the Black sisters, after all.”_

_Andromeda stared at Narcissa, wide eyed. Thinking on it, she realized her sister was right. Harry was in a unique situation, but surely it was a bit early to be thinking about that. Narcissa was a master at plotting, however. Not that Andie believed her sister had anything untoward planned for Harry. On the contrary, she was quite certain Narcissa was nothing but sincere in her intentions, and it was very refreshing. Deciding to tease her a bit, she awarded her sister with a coy smile._

“ _You never know, Cissy, I just might go for him before you do. Oh and those eyes!”_

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_Lupin finished putting away the cups, and joined his wife on the sofa, and put an arm around her as she snuggled close. He stared at the ceiling, not quite believing who was sleeping in their bed, at the moment. It was bloody mental. All of it. His thoughts drifted back to the small meeting they'd had earlier, and how impressed he'd been with Harry. The maturity shone through, and he obviously wanted to be there for these women._

_Narcissa seemed very taken with Harry, and if he was not mistaken, Andie was starting down the same road. He just hoped it was nothing but a little infatuation, that would pass quickly. That didn't mean he couldn't tease his wife about it, though. Fighting a grin, he kissed her on the forehead, which made her purr low in her throat. He had to butter her up a little bit before mentioning this, else she would kill him. Slowly. He eyed Tonks, who was lying beside him with a thoughtful frown on her face._

“ _So, this meeting was interesting, Dora. Are you certain it's just Narcissa who's interested in Harry? Your mum... She gave him quite a few looks earlier, when she thought no one was looking,” he said in that completely neutral voice he knew drove his wife insane. Tonks raised her head, and glared at her husband, who only smiled innocently at her in return._

“ _Not one word out of you, Remus Lupin. I'm trying to forget that happened. The idea of Mum and Harry...” Tonks shuddered, before she lay her head down on Lupin's chest. She frowned as she kept thinking about it._

“ _Damn it, Remus, now I'm thinking about it... I'm STILL thinking about it, you bloody menace!”_

_Remus chuckled fondly at his wife's predicament. “You know, it is rather interesting to note that both of them react to him in such a way. They are exceedingly powerful women, and we know Harry is no weakling. Perhaps that's what is calling them to one another? It is not unheard of, you know. They may not see it, but fairly certain Harry was reacting to them as well.”_

“ _Shut up, Wolfie, and go to sleep, you perverted old man. It's just a phase. They'll be over it soon enough.”_

_Tonks was soon fast asleep, but Remus found sleep hard to come by. His thoughts kept going to Harry and what he'd been through that day, and how proud he was of how the young man had handled it. James had been a good man, but he was nothing, compared to his son._

_Harry cared for people on a level Remus had never seen, and knew he would brave any danger for anyone he held dear, but he'd need all the help he could get. With that in mind, Remus gently removed himself from Tonks' embrace, who fortunately stayed asleep. He entered the kitchen, grabbed a self inking quill, and parchment and started to write._

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_Bellatrix woke up, and found herself in an unknown bed, in an unknown room. Managing to control her initial panic, she calmly looked around, until her eyes came to a stop on a young man, who was sleeping in the bed with her. Harry Potter. So it hadn't been a dream. He had freed her from her captors and, according to him, brought her somewhere safe. Wherever that was. She rolled over on her side, and studied Harry at her leisure._

_Tall, strong and powerful, she mused as she let her eyes feast on him. Those ears were quite something, and they gave her a little pause. And the eyes... He had changed an awful lot, since that night at the Ministry, and she knew there was a story behind those changes. A story she desperately wanted to learn._

_She somewhat fondly recalled their duel, at the Snatcher's HQ. Even if she had been trying her best to kill him at the time, it had been the most fun she'd had in ages. She realized she was utterly fascinated by him. She let out a barely audible sigh, and Harry stirred, and blinked his eyes a few times before turning his head toward her. He smiled._

“ _Good morning, Bellatrix. How are you feeling?”_

_She grimaced at that. “I'm alright, I suppose. It helps being a master Occlumens. I can hide the bad thoughts and memories away.”_

_Harry frowned at that. “Hiding behind your shields is not a solution, Bellatrix.”_

_They were both silent for a few moments, before Bellatrix spoke up again. “Where are we?”_

“ _I brought you to your niece's home. She and Remus allowed me to bed you down here for the night. Your sisters are coming around, at ten to speak with you, and take you with them, if all goes well.”_

_Bellatrix rolled over onto her back again, and let out a long breath. Was she ready to meet her sisters? She did not think she was, but perhaps it would be best to get it out of the way. If she was going to be mending any fences, she reckoned she needed all the time she could have. Andie, she had not met in over twenty years, and their last meeting had been a terrible one._

_The things she had said that day were fresh in her mind, as if she had spoken them only the day before. The Andromeda she remembered had been a practical woman, not one to hold on to petty grudges, so perhaps it might not be so bad._

_Narcissa was another matter. Narcissa was both proud, and haughty; a proper pureblood and people like her did not take lightly to offence, and she had the ability to hold and maintain a grudge for years. Bellatrix accepted what she had done to Draco was horrific, but she hoped her sister could forgive her. She felt Harry grab her hand, and give it a reassuring squeeze. She felt warm, and safe at his gesture. In fact, she revelled in it, and wished the feeling would never stop._

“ _It'll be alright, Bellatrix. I've spoken with Andromeda and Narcissa, they know everything. Perhaps it was not my place to tell them, but I felt it was a good idea to give them a chance to digest and discuss what happened to you, before they met you, and to figure out where to go from here.”_

_Bellatrix smiled at him appreciatively. That certainly made things much easier. She noted that Harry had not let go of her hand, nor did he seem to be in any hurry to do so, as he stared at the wall with a weird, blank look on his face. There was something bothering her; she would very much like to understand why he was helping her._

_After all, she had murdered his late father's best friend, the boy's godfather, and the closest he had for a family aside from the Weasleys, if Malfoy was to be believed. Not to mention all the other ghastly things she had done over the years._

“ _Why are you doing this, Harry? Why are you so good to me? You should hate me for all the things I've done, Merlin knows I hate myself. I understand you loved Sirius like a father, despite the little time you had together. I took him from you, so why?”_

_Harry scratched the back of his head and he looked at her, a pained expression on his face, which made Bellatrix wince. She really had not meant to hurt him by mentioning Sirius. “I am the Head of your House, and it is my responsibility to take care of you.”_

_Bellatrix' eyes narrowed. “Is that the only reason?”_

“ _No, I suppose not,” Harry said and sighed deeply. “By all rights, I should hate you and I wanted to. I mean, I really, really wanted to, it would have been so much easier. But I can't bring myself to do it. You were subjected to a terrible injustice, Bellatrix and I will not be able to live with myself if I do not do whatever I can to help you. Voiding the marriage contract was just the first step in doing so. I have done the same with Narcissa's contract to Malfoy. You might want to know I also extended an invitation to Andromeda, offering her to become a part of the Black family once again, and she has accepted.”_

_Bellatrix smiled happily, and the warm feeling from before spread throughout her body, nearly making her breathless. Such selflessness and nobility. And he had given her the chance of reuniting with her sisters. She wanted to feel more of this warmth, but something held her back._

_She instinctively realized the warmth she felt this time, was different from the kind she felt through the bond she now clearly felt between her and Harry. This feeling came from within herself, and it frightened her. She had never felt this way, and she had trouble understanding it. Harry got out of bed, and she eyed him as he stretched lazily._

“ _Tonks and Remus are up. I'll go and ask if she has any clothes, you can borrow.” He looked at his watch. “I reckon you have about an hour, before your sisters get here, so you may want to take a shower. I'm sure Tonks and Remus won't mind. It's just down the hall. Leave the door unlocked, and I'll put the clothes just inside the door.”_

_Bellatrix gave him a grateful smile, which turned mischievous. “Leave the door unlocked? You could just ask to join me in the shower, Harry. I'm sure there's room in there for the both of us.” She had expected to embarrass him, but to her delight, Harry gave as good as he got._

“ _I would, but I don't think the hot water charm would last the time it would take for us to 'get clean', Bella.”_

_She let out that wonderful, velvety laugh and Harry found it infectious. They shared a good, long laugh before Harry turned to leave. When he was about to close the door, he heard the woman call out to him softly. He turned around in the doorway._

“ _I'd like it if you'd call me that, Harry.”_

“ _Pardon?”_

“ _Bella. I would like you to call me Bella. I was called that by my sisters before all this. Then that bastard Riddle, took it as his own. I want you to call me that, you've earned it, Harry and it would make me very happy.”_

_Harry eyed the woman sadly. Sure, he could call her by her nickname, but for something so simple, so small to make her so happy? Give her comfort? And from a complete stranger, well, maybe not a complete stranger, and there was trust now. The bond saw to that._

“ _If you're sure?”_

“ _I am, Harry. I am at the beginning of a new life, and I want you to be a part of it. After all, you're the one who freed me, and put me on the path.”_

_Harry drummed his fingers on the door frame, a few times before he nodded and left the room. He headed down the stairs, and found his friends having a spot of breakfast. They regarded Harry as he leaned against the door frame. Tonks gave him a small smile, and motioned for him to sit at the table._

“ _How is she?” Remus asked carefully._

_Harry shrugged. “I don't know, Remus, I've never done this before. As good as can be expected, I suppose? She did not have another nightmare, at least. Tonks, do you have any clothes she can borrow? She went to take a shower, I hope you don't mind.”_

_Tonks nodded, and went into the wash room and gathered a few things. The clothes would fit well enough, as the Black sisters all had a similar build and Tonks took after her mother strongly. She handed her friend a small bundle, as well as Bella's wand when Harry requested it, and returned to the kitchen, while Harry went upstairs and put the clothes where he had told Bella he'd put them._

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_Bellatrix stepped out of the shower, and slowly dried herself with her wand. Once done, she turned it on the mirror, and vanished the fog off it. She studied herself in the mirror, and she was very unhappy with what she saw. Her pitch black hair, which had been her pride and joy once, hung limply down to her lower back. She had dark circles under her dull eyes and her teeth were completely rotten._

_She did not understand why she had not fixed those. And her body... She was rail thin, though she had curves still, the Black sisters had been blessed with gorgeous hourglass figures, and a very generous bust. The years in Azkaban and complete lack of personal care in the months since her escape had taken their toll, however. Would any man look at her again, and find her desirable and enticing? Would Harry?_

_She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Now was not the time for such thoughts. It was much to early, and he was not a man who would rush into anything, of that she was certain. She would have to get closer to him, get to know him properly. In any case, she doubted he would do anything, while the bond was active. He would feel as if he was taking advantage of her. Not that she would mind terribly, if it was him. But he would not._

_Bloody, noble git. She found it somewhat alarming, that she was thinking of him in such a way. Less than twenty four hours since he had rescued her and bound her to him and she appeared to be falling for him? It was mental. Well, Bella was certain she was mental, so perhaps it was not so far fetched._

_Now, it wasn't as if she was ready for such a relationship. Not even remotely. In front of her lay a long road to recovery, both physically and mentally. And Harry was right, of course. Hiding the pain and horrors behind a wall of Occluded shields was not a permanent solution. It would help her function in day to day life. Other than that... Bella imagined Andie would be the one to help her there._

_She grabbed the clothes and put them on, irked by the way the garments hung about her frame. She put her hair in a ponytail, and quit the bathroom, to find Harry leaning on the wall by the stairs. He gave her a reassuring smile, and walked over to her, and grabbed her hands._

“ _You ready? Your sisters just arrived and they're waiting downstairs. It'll be fine, Bella. Trust me. I'll be there with you the whole time and we will confront them together, or you can do it alone, if you wish. It's up to you. Not that I think there will be too much trouble. In fact, I'm certain they will be quite happy to see their sister.”_

_Bella took a deep breath, smiled at Harry and squeezed his hands before letting go and taking to the stairs. Harry followed in her wake, happy that she'd found the strength to take the lead. They came to the bottom of the stairs, and found Andromeda and Narcissa sitting on the sofa._ _As soon as the sisters saw Bella, they rose and eyed their sister carefully. To her credit, Bella did not shrink away from their gaze, but stood proud, as a Black should. Then the younger Black sisters both smiled, and Bella rushed forward into their embrace._

_What followed were a few hours of heartfelt apologies, reminiscing and reassurances that Andromeda and Narcissa did not blame Bella for anything that had happened in the past, which was just that; the past. All three were beginning a new life, and they would brave the world together. A little after midday, the sisters were ready to leave._

_They asked Harry to accompany them, since Andromeda wanted to reveal the Secret to Harry and key him into the wards. Once that was done, he could come and go as he pleased. Harry grabbed his things and motioned for the others to go ahead, he needed to talk to Remus and Tonks._

“ _I'm going on a little trip and I don't know how long I'll be away. Hopefully no more than a couple of weeks, at most. And before you ask, no I'm not telling you. The less you know, the better. Keep an eye on those sisters for me, would you, Tonks?”_

“ _Can do, Wonder Boy! Just be careful, you hear me, you barmy bastard,” Tonks said in her usual, bubbly way, but a worried look was clouding her eyes. Remus was no less worried, but kept silent._

“ _It'll be alright, Moony, Nym. I'll try to swing by once I get back, OK?”_

_And with that Harry left, and joined the Black sisters on the side walk. Andromeda grabbed a hold of him while Narcissa did the same with Bella. A little while later, the foursome found themselves in an alleyway in Croydon. Making their way down the street, they stopped, and Harry and Bella were each given a piece of parchment._

_**Andromeda and Narcissa Black live** **at Nr. 45 Lewisham Street.**_

_Suddenly, a house appeared and the travellers hurried inside, lest someone see the building. Once inside, Andromeda keyed Harry and Bella into the wards. She motioned for all of them to go to the living room, and take a seat._

“ _So, what happens now?” Bella asked Andromeda._

“ _I will begin, Bella, by treating your physical ailments. Heal the body, and the mind will follow holds true, after all. To a point, at least. I know a man who can get me all kinds of restorative potions, and believe me sister, you need them. After that is underway, I will start on healing your mind.”_

_Bella simply smiled at her sister, and nodded her thanks. Harry let his eyes wander, and found this house to be quite cozy, and it had a warm feeling about it. In other words, it was a proper home, which was just what Bella needed. Harry was loathed to leave, but he had to go, there was no time to lose. An idea came to him and he removed a roll of parchment and handed it to Narcissa._

“ _Would you be willing to look over this, Narcissa? I could use your input.”_

_Narcissa smiled at Harry. “Of course, I will, Mr. Potter.”_

“ _Well, I had better go. I trust you will take good care of your sisters, Andromeda?” Harry asked in a teasing manner, as he placed his hand on the doorknob._

“ _I most certainly will, Mr. Potter, and I must insist you call me Andie. My friends and sisters call me that, and I have little patience for formalities.”_

_Harry smiled at that. “A woman after my own heart. Well, then I'd like you to drop this Mr. Potter nonsense, and call me Harry. That goes for you too, Cissy.” The woman in question smiled happily at him. Harry walked over to Bella, and took her hands in his own._

“ _I'm going on a trip, Bella and I hope to return soon. Please let your sisters help you, it will make everything so much easier. I will come by as soon as I'm able, all right?”_

_Bella smiled sadly at Harry and in a surprising move, kissed him on the cheek. “Go do what you must, Harry. We will be fine, we sisters are quite strong, you know.”_

_Harry smiled. “Of that, there's no doubt, Bellatrix.”_

_Harry smiled at her and inclined his head to the other two before he rushed out the door. As soon as the young man had left, Bella turned around to find her sisters eyeing with mixed emotions. Finally, Cissy clicked her tongue in mock annoyance._

“ _Well, it seems to me like someone works fast. We had better apply ourselves if we hope to stand a chance, Andie. After all, she has already spent the night with him.”_

_At Andromeda's burst of laughter, Bella blushed prettily, but inwardly, she was almost deliriously happy. The teasing and laughing... This was how they had been, back when they had been teenagers at Hogwarts. She smiled at her sisters and took their hands in her own._

“ _Shall we?”_

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That's chapter eight. Hope you liked it. No action, this time, but I think this may be my favourite chapter yet. Thanks for reading.

The sisters Black, as I see them:

Andie: https://www.deviantart.com/nastyaskaya/art/Vivienne-de-Tabris-665429752

Bella: https://www.deviantart.com/nastyaskaya/art/Yennefer-657286641 

Cissy: https://www.deviantart.com/nastyaskaya/art/Keira-Metz-657736387


	8. IX

IX

It was early evening and Harry limped up the stairs as NR. 45 appeared, when he approached it. He quickly closed the door and entered the hallway. He called out and Andie asked him to come to the living room. As soon as he entered, he was assaulted by a raven haired missile, that latched onto him and gripped him tightly, ignoring his pain induced grunts. After catching his breath, Harry put his arms around the woman, kissed her on the top of her head.

“It's OK, Bella. I'm fine.”

Bella backed away and glared at him and motioned with her hand. “You are most certainly not 'fine', Harry James Potter. If this is your definition of fine, then I'd hate to learn what you call 'being hurt',” she huffed before joining her sisters by the fireplace.

Narcissa and Andromeda had looked at the scene, smiling, before turning their own glares upon the young man. Harry felt cold at that and opened his mouth to greet Andie and Cissy. Andie deepened her glare and pointed to a conjured examination table.

“Lie down, Potter. I've contacted my daughter, she'll be here soon.”

Not daring to do otherwise, Harry scrambled onto the table and sat down. Bella and Cissy went to the kitchen, leaving Andie alone with Harry. Nym's mother immediately set about removing his clothes with tender fingers.

As his injuries were revealed, her hands started to tremble, but she kept going, making soft, horrified noises as his various scars were revealed. When she saw the slightly cooked wound on his thigh, she gasped and looked away. When she turned back, she had brought herself under control.

“It looks worse than it is, Andie.”

She gave him a flat look. “Oh, does it?”

Harry smiled awkwardly. “All right, it hurts just as bad as it looks.”

Andie noticed his hair was a little dishevelled on one side and she carefully moved it around until she saw the large cut on Harry's head. She stifled a gasp and her gaze found his eyes.

“Oh, Harry,” she said as her hand moved and cupped his cheek. Harry leaned into her touch. “Why must you do this? You have people, friends and allies, who are so much more than willing to help you, us three included. Why can't you allow us to do that?”

Harry smiled faintly at her. “You know the answer to that question, Andromeda.”

She leaned closer to him, her eyes still on his. “It's Andie, Harry, please. I do know it, but that does not mean I have to like it, and I am not inclined to accept it any longer.” she whispered. “I know what may await you Harry, but I don't know what I'd do if something was to happen to you, before then.”

“I'm not going anywhere, Andie. Not yet,” Harry said and let his eyes wander to her full, moist lips, before bringing them up to her dark brown eyes. A lock of hair had escaped from her ponytail, and he tucked it behind her ear, before he smiled at her.

“You had better not, Harry Potter,” Andie said, and leaned in to capture his lips with her own. The kiss lingered a while, before Andie moved her hand behind Harry's head and played with his hair, while the other wrapped around his neck. She licked his lower lip, begging entrance, which Harry happily allowed as he ran his hands up and down her back, holding her close. Locked in their passionate kiss, neither of them noticed the green flair in the fireplace, announcing the arrival of Tonks. With a horrified gasp, she dropped her bag, and practically shouted at the pair.

“ _Mum!_ Stop snogging my patient! And you, Harry, lie down on the table. You're injured, and need to take it easy!”

If she had hoped to break them apart with her shouting, she was sorely disappointed. Harry and Andie kissed for a while yet, with deepening passion, completely alone in the universe. After a while, they reluctantly broke apart, only to rest their foreheads together and gaze lovingly into each other's eyes.

“Try to be more careful, love,” Andie said before turning away, only to find her daughter there, flanked by Bella and Cissy, who gave their sister approving smiles. The woman in the middle, however glared at her mother. Andie blushed prettily, before stepping forward to hug her daughter.

“Nymphadora!” she exclaimed sweetly. “So nice of you to join us, dear.”

Nym gave her mother another glare. “Don't call me that! I so did not need to see that, Mum. Go into the kitchen with Bella and Cissy and don't come in here unless I call for you. I can't concentrate with you lot in here.” The three older witches filed out of the room, and closed the door behind them. Harry looked at Tonks with an apologetic look on his face.

“Nym...”

Tonks shot Harry a glare as she pulled out her wand, which made her patient lose all the colour in his face.

“Button up your trap, Harry. I've been trying to tell myself this wouldn't happen, that if I ignored the way she looked at you, or talked about you, that it did not exist. I... Let's just do this thing, OK, Harry? I can't talk about this now. We'll do it later. Or never. Yeah, let's go with that, that works just fine for me,” Tonks grumbled as she started waving her wand over her friend.

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The three Black sisters found their way to the kitchen, and just made it, before Bella erupted into hysterical laughter. Cissy, a bit more tactful than her older sister, hid her amusement behind a raised hand. However, she was clearly enjoying her sister's embarrassment just as much as Bella was, if the glint in her eyes was any indication.

Andie sat down at the table, and dropped her head in her hands. This was not how she had wanted her daughter, to find out about her and Harry. When Bella regained control of herself, she sat down opposite her sister and Cissy joined her.

“So, you finally decided to listen to your heart, Andie,” Cissy stated and smiled. Bella reached for Andie's hand, which prompted her to look tearfully at her sisters.

“I did and it was wonderful. I'm just afraid that I won't be able to handle it, when he's gone, Bella. We know he has almost no chance of surviving, unless someone can find a way to remove that disgusting thing, from his soul.”

Bella and Cissy smiled sadly at their sister. “We know that, Andie,” Cissy said. “I tried to resist after he told us about that, but I could not.”

“Bella didn't,” Andie said miserably.

Narcissa smiled softly, while Bellatrix grinned happily. “Of course not. She _is_ Bella, after all. There's always a chance he could be cured, Andie. Bella and I decided to allow ourselves to pursue this, and we are both happy we did.”

Hoping to diffuse the tension, Bella smiled impishly at her sisters. “I just hope Nymphadora doesn't kill him, Andie. Or hex his bits off. I'd be rather cross with her if she did, I'm hoping to... Well, you know. Anyway, who shares his bed tonight, then? I vote myself, as I am the most gentle and he needs to recover from his injuries.”

Cissy stared at her sister incredulously, while silently praying her niece did not take any drastic measures with their man. Finally she said; “I don't think any of us are quite ready to take it that far, Bellatrix. That aside, there is no way you are the gentlest! You're like a bull in a china shop, for Merlin's sake!” Bella just stuck out her tongue at her sister. “Oh, very mature, Bellatrix,” Cissy huffed.

As her sisters kept teasing each other, Andie just stared at them, and laughed softly at their antics. They were really good at making each other feel better, and no wonder. They knew each other better than any living soul. Looking in the general direction of the living room, she hoped Harry was OK and that her daughter wasn't too angry with him.

“So, Andie,” Bella said with lascivious grin. “How's that body? Come on, tell us! You're the only one of us who's seen him without clothes, after all.”

Andie sobered up immediately and regarded her sisters for a while, before answering. “There are scars, Bella. _Merlin_ , the scars... How he's still alive, I can't fathom.”

Both Bella and Cissy had turned completely serious. “It's that bad, Andie?” Narcissa asked softly, only for her sister to nod, unable to speak.

Bellatrix was very unhappy with her sister's revelation, and glared at the wall that separated the living room and kitchen. “I'll talk to him, make him understand that this cannot go on.”

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Tonks had just finished with Harry, when she rapped her knuckles on the top of his head with an annoyed growl. Yelping in pain, Harry grabbed his shirt, and scooted over the table and off the other side, hoping to stay out of her reach. He quickly put on the shirt. He was not too keen on Bella or Cissy getting a closer look at his body just yet.

He also knew Tonks was still pissed, with what she had seen earlier between him, and her mother, and he was not taking any chances. She might hex his bits off, or... something even worse. Well, Harry couldn't readily imagine something worse, than having no bits, but it _could_ happen! Tonks was rather unpredictable, after all. And clumsy.

“What was that for!” Harry asked and rubbed his head tenderly. “I'm a wounded man, Nym!”

Tonks huffed at him, and gave him her best impersonation of a McGonagall glare. “It's for being an idiot, Harry. Really, going against a giant on your own? Are you _trying_ to get yourself killed? Your injuries this time are much worse, than that time you went up against Greyback. Do you not care one bit about those who love you? Those three women in the kitchen? What about Remus and me? Ron and Hermione and Ginny? The rest of the Weasleys? Hagrid and Minerva? How about Fleur? She does not have so many friends, that she can afford to lose one, because he was stupid! And let's not forget Poppy. One of these days you're going to be hurt badly enough, that even she won't be able to help you! Fucking Hell, Harry!“

Harry was stunned, to say the least. Tonks was shouting at him by now, the tears were running in her eyes. Neither of them noticed her mother, and two aunts standing in the doorway, looking at them wide eyed. Tonks wasn't finished, though, and took a trembling breath, before continuing.

“I've kept your secret, ever since you saved Remus' life and brought him back from that fight with Greyback, but I really shouldn't have, Harry. Remus wanted to tell everybody, but I told him no, that I could not betray your trust, but it's obvious you can't be trusted with yourself! Look at yourself in the mirror, Harry and I mean it! Really look! Keep this up, and Alastor _bloody_ Moody, is going to look like a poster boy for healthy living!” She spied her mother and her sisters and closed her eyes, trying to calm herself down, but it wasn't working.

“Nym, I didn't even know the giant was-” Harry began, only to be interrupted by his friend, who angrily wiped her eyes on her sleeve.

“Oh, no you don't,” Tonks hissed. “I only let _you_ call me that, and that's because you're a precious friend to me, but I'm not sure you are my friend any more, Potter! And don't think for a minute you're doing this to keep us safe. You're doing this for your own, selfish reasons.”

Tonks went about the room and gathered her things, refusing to look at Harry. She stepped over to the fireplace and grabbed a pinch of Floo powder. She looked at the sisters, who had moved into the room proper.

“The idiot needs to rest for a few days and not strain his body too much. Do you think you can manage that, Mum?” She asked angrily and with a hint of something else, but Andie couldn't quite place it. Tonks looked at Narcissa. “I'd recommend an _Incarcerous_ , but that might further break his ribs, and I can't be bothered to come back so soon.” She shot Harry a vile look. “Or at all.”

Without waiting for a response, Tonks threw the powder into the fireplace, stepped into it and disappeared. Looking over at the stunned Harry, Narcissa and Andromeda gave their sister Bella a meaningful look, left the room and closed the door behind them. Bella vanished the table and walked over to the young man and grabbed his hand to lead him to the sofa, where she sat down and pulled his head into her lap.

She gently worked her hands through his hair, as Harry stared vacantly into thin air. She said nothing. After all, they were all thinking it, Nymphadora had just happened to be the one to say it out loud, even if she had been unnecessarily cruel about the way she went about it. Then again, she was a Black, and most Blacks had a cruel streak in them. Some just hid it better than others, and Nymphadora was a master at it, it seemed.

“She hates me, doesn't she?” Harry asked after a while in a weak voice. Bella kept working her fingers in his hair. He'd reacted just as she had expected. In some ways, Harry was even more broken than she was. At least, she had her sisters to help her. Harry had never been helped with his problems, and it was in moments like these you could see them clear as day. She sighed sadly.

“Don't be foolish, Harry. She cares for you a great deal. Probably more, than she dares to admit. Do you honestly think she would have been so angry, if she hated you?”

“You heard her,” Harry whispered tonelessly.

“Harry, if she hated you, she would have acted indifferent to this whole situation. No, she just wants to be there for you, to help you. We all do. We know why you took this upon yourself and while noble, it is terribly misguided.

You feel awful, I know, but just how awful do you think the others feel, the ones who don't know you're OK? Most of them think you're dead, Harry and I know you're aware of it. I found my niece's words a bit cruel before, but anything she could say to you, pales in comparison to what you've subjected your friends to, over the last two years.”

Harry stared Bella in the eyes. “They don't understand how dangerous this is, Bella. I've almost died a number of times, and Dumbledore was dying already, even if his death was expedited by a few weeks by Snape,” Harry said and took Bella's hand and kissed it. “Am I being selfish, Bella?”

She shook her head and sighed. “You're deluding yourself, if you believe they don't know the realities of war, by now. I don't think your decision was inherently selfish, Harry. What I do think, and mind you, you can blame the family shrink for this one. I think on some level, you are deathly afraid of losing everyone, and being left alone. Not unreasonable, as fears go, but it _is_ unreasonable for you to try and decide for a group of adults and fully trained wizards, what is suitable danger for them, and what is not. It is their right to make that decision, and you took that from them.”

Bella lay down on her side and Harry lay down on his back. She rested her head on his chest and listened to the sound of his beating heart, and the steady rhythm soothed her. She enjoyed this a lot, how close and intimate they were being. The bond had disappeared a few minutes ago, and her first thought had been a rather naughty one.

Not willing to break up this nice moment, she settled for lying with him on the sofa and she was fully content. Besides, Narcissa had first go at him. She chuckled softly at the idea of them taking turns with their lover.

Harry opened one eye slowly. “What's so funny?”

“Nothing, dear. Just sleep, love. You need rest.”

Harry smiled at her words and closed his eye again, knowing he would sleep like a baby in the arms of his Bella. As he fell asleep, his mind wandered into the realms of dreams, which were often filled with his memories...

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_An hour after he had left Bella with her sisters, and one tiny mischief later (Sirius would have been proud), Harry emerged from a hidden side entrance of Gringotts, walking a rather large motorcycle by his side. He turned around to the pair of tiny, smirking goblins, who winked at him and closed the panel behind him. Harry put the foot down and examined the bike carefully. For all intents and purposes, it looked like a regular vintage motorbike, except it could be fitted with a sidecar, which Harry had left behind in the Black vault._

_What was not regular, however, were the three buttons on the steering apparatus. According to the instructions left behind by Sirius, they had been charmed by Harry's Mum to make the bike invisible, soundless and able to take flight. Most handy. Harry smirked. There was no registry in neither the wizarding world, nor among the Muggles for a flying motorcycle._

_It would take much longer to reach Albania this way. Days at least, because the bike was limited to its regular top speed of less than hundred miles per hour. Sirius had not used the thing for speed, after all. No, it was the simple pleasure of riding the bike which had persuaded his godfather to purchase it, all those years ago._

_It had its advantages, though. Due to the charms placed upon it, Harry would be able to travel at any time, whereas the broom would have been limited to travel by night, or in the clouds, since he did not have his invisibility cloak, or his wand to disillusion himself._

_Harry mounted the motorcycle, and after a few kicks of the kickstart, got it running. He immediately pressed both the silencing, and invisibility buttons, startled by the noise. The exhaust was surprisingly loud. Harry chuckled as he sat on the vehicle, examining it further. He would not have put it past Sirius, to have installed such a loud exhaust, simply to be able to go full out in a Muggle neighbourhood late at night. Or early morning._

_Harry put the stand up, squeezed the clutch, and tapped his left foot down gently. The bike jolted forwards slightly as it grabbed the first of four gears. Harry eased up the clutch, and the bike slowly rolled forwards. He gave it some more gas, and it picked up speed. He pressed the flight button, leaned back and revved it heavily._

_He almost fell backwards, but his strength and heightened reflexes saved him. He leaned forward and revved the motorcycle even further, and it finally took to rise into the sky gracefully. After a few minutes, Harry was high up in the air, grateful to be wearing warm clothes, and especially happy with the goggles that had accompanied the bike._

_The young man felt simply elated to be flying again, and the motorcycle was surprisingly nimble. It did not hold a candle to a proper broom, of course, but it was amazing, non the less. A compass was fastened to the fuel tank and Harry turned to the east, picturing the map in his head. He would try to reach Paris for the first leg. From there, he would aim for Geneva, then Florence, or he could push himself a little, and reach Napoli. Then he would cross the Adriatic._

_As Harry flew over what he presumed to be Hastings, he brought a hand to his cheek, and he'd have sworn he could still feel the burning sensation of Bella's lips on his cheek. To say her kissing him had taken him by surprise, would be a massive understatement. Not that it had been unpleasant. On the contrary, he'd rather enjoyed it. But what really gnawed at his mind, was the fact that Cissy had been there, and not done the same. Or Andie. Harry shook his head in desperation._

_She was Tonk's mum! And Cissy was Draco's! And yet, he was falling for those women. He knew it, and could feel it in his bones. But why was it happening? And why so quickly? He had met Andromeda twice, Narcissa all of four times, and two days ago, he had hated Bella with every fibre in his being. Sure, the youngest and second oldest Black sisters were beautiful, no gorgeous, and he had no doubt the oldest would be the same, once she recovered, but he was not so shallow as to see nothing but the looks._

_He knew they were extremely intelligent, he could see it in their eyes, and seeing Bella in action, suggested immense power, which he suspected Andie and Cissy had as well. Harry sighed and focused on manoeuvring the bike through the skies. He would have to tackle this problem, once he had destroyed the next Horcrux._

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_Aside from a few lightning storms over France, which had delayed his progress by a couple of days, the trip had gone well and without incident, really. He had decided to stay on the ground during those days, as it seemed detrimental to one's health to be riding a metal bike in the air, during a lightning storm._

_Or any storm, really. Harry had gotten the hang of the bike quickly, but he'd been unable to shake the feeling he'd been on it, before. Had Sirius taken him on his bike sometime? Harry grinned at the thought, and imagined his Mum might not have been too fond of such adventures._

_Harry was flying over the Adriatic, the sky clear and the currents were favourable, if a bit stiff. A massive roar, coming from somewhere close by brought Harry out of his reverie. It was followed by another, of a distinctly different kind. To Harry's dismay, he recognized the latter roar. He had heard one very similar to it before, in the Tri-Wizard. He angled the bike down a bit, and saw his suspicions confirmed. Some distance below him, he saw a pair of huge dragons engaged in a heated battle._

_When Harry had faced the Horntail in the first task of the vaunted competition, he had felt the sheer, feral power the huge beast radiated. Its savage nature was nothing short of prodigious and Harry had felt suitably cowed in its presence. A lot of time had gone by since then, and his feelings toward the beast had not changed one bit. He shuddered and thought he felt a little tug on the scar on his shoulder, where the dragon had grazed him with its tail. He turned his gaze upon the Horntail's enemy and instantly, the Horntail seemed like a child's toy._

_The other dragon was absolutely massive. Its talons were the size of Harry's entire arm, and the fire it spewed, had a distinctly disturbing hue of white. It was covered in pale scales and its eyes were a light pinkish colour. During the time Harry had spent with Gryffindor, they had talked extensively about dragons, the various types, their strengths and weaknesses. Harry identified the larger beast, as a Ukranian Ironbelly, the largest known dragon species._

_The Horntail was completely overmatched, and Harry watched as the Ironbelly overpowered the smaller dragon fairly quickly and a bite on the neck had the Horntail falling soundlessly into the sea, far below. Harry decided he had seen enough and turned the motorcycle in the right direction once again, and revved it slightly._

_Harry heard the Ironbelly roar again and he looked back, only to see it staring directly at him. He got a sinking feeling in his gut, as he remembered another thing about Ironbellies; no kind of disillusionment charms or spells worked against them. Some suspected they could even see through invisibility cloaks._

_Harry set his shoulders, leaned forward and revved the bike as much as he could. He glanced back, and saw to his relief, that the beast was not gaining on him. His smaller size worked in his favour now as he cut through the air much more easily than the bulky Ironbelly. Harry did note, however that the wind was picking up. Unfortunately, this time, it was not favourable._

_As soon as that thought left him, a massive gust of wind hit him, and he felt the bike strain to keep up the speed. Harry instantly knew he was in trouble. The Ironbellie's vastly superior mass would carry it much further, and at greater speed into the wind, than his own._

_As if by cue, the massive dragon roared mere feet behind Harry, and the young man could actually hear as the beast opened its mouth to eat him. He did the only thing he could think of; he dove almost vertically down, and he felt the massive beast fly by him._

_The force of the air the beast pulled with it clashed heavily against the wind coming from the other direction, and the bike spun in the air violently. Harry was barely hanging on, but he noticed the dragon flying on its merry way, out of the corner of his eye. Great, that was one problem less to worry about. Harry started to slowly weave his body against the movements of the bike, hoping to stabilize it, when the absolute worst happened; the engine died._

_Harry let out a long, tired sigh. The engine died. At the worst possible moment. Of course it did. As Harry struggled to both bring the bike under control and the engine running again, he realized this was how it was supposed to be. Had the engine not died, he'd have been truly worried. It would have been most unnatural._

_He was falling rapidly, the ocean approaching fast. Eventually, Harry managed to regain control and hundred feet, or so before the bike hit the water, he got it running again. He immediately revved it to its fullest and gradually, the front end of the machine started to rise, ever so slowly._

_Harry felt the rear wheel touch the water, and saw the spray on either side, before it climbed gracefully into the clouds once more. Harry laughed gleefully as he angled the bike in the right direction, once more, the adrenaline fuelling the exhilaration of surviving. He faced death at every turn, it seemed, but at least his life wasn't dull._

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_In a house, far away, a black haired, violet eyed witch paced the floor in her sister's study in an agitated state. She ran a hand through her hair, and eventually sat down in the sofa and visibly relaxed. She let out a deep breath and closed her eyes, before taking a deep calming breath. Her sister eyed her curiously._

“ _Bella, what's wrong?”_

“ _It's Harry. Something happened, he was extremely agitated and scared for a while, but he's calmed down now.”_

_Andie stared at her sister. “You can feel that? How deep does this bond go, exactly?”_

_Bella tapped her lips a few times in thought before answering. “It's not like I can read his thoughts, or anything like that. It's more like I can feel his most basic emotions, anger, joy, relief, that sort of thing. I can tell he's far away to the east now, and he's moving further away still. And on top of it all, I can feel the bond weakening as we speak, and it has nothing to do with the distance between us.” Bella seemed a little sad at discovering that._

_Andie smiled happily. “Going by what Harry told you, that just means you're growing stronger, Bella. It's only been a few days, and all we've done is given you a few potions. And fixed your teeth, of course, which should do wonders for your self confidence, to be honest.”_

_Bellea pouted. “I don't want him to disappear, Andie. It's incredibly reassuring to feel him there, to know he's worrying about me.”_

_Andie turned serious at that and fixed her sister with a slightly hard look. “It will not do, for you to be too dependant on Harry, Bella. We cannot base your treatment on that feeling. What will happen if he d-”_

“ _Don't ever say that, Andie,” Bellatrix said. She quickly rose from the sofa and walked over to the window, hugging herself. “I cannot bear thinking of it, even if I know it can happen at any time, with things being the way they are. I... I'm falling in love with him, Andie and it scares me. It's happening so fast, and I can't control it. What if he does not feel the same? What if he won't care, once the bond is gone?”_

_Andie walked over to her sister and grabbed her hand. Just then, Cissy came into the room, carrying a tray with tea and biscuits. Feeling the atmosphere in the room,she walked up to Bella and took hold of her other hand._

“ _I could not help overhear you two,” Narcissa said. “You're not alone in that, Bella. Andromeda is quite quickly falling for him also, and I know I am somehow desperately in love with him, by now, despite not having met him for months and practically no interaction before then. He's on my mind constantly, and it takes conscious effort to think of anything else. It is just as hard for us to know he's out there alone, risking his life for us. That's why we must be strong, and rely upon ourselves and each other. Harry cannot afford to be distracted.”_

_Bellatrix felt her face flush, and made to say something, but Andie held up a hand to stop her. “Cissy is right, Bella. If all we do is rely upon Harry, then we cannot support him in whatever it is he's doing. And certainly not what comes after, which will be no less of a battle. I find the fact that we are all three falling for him very interesting and strange, same as you, and it bears looking into.”_

“ _I just don't want to be a bother to Harry. He'll hate me if it comes to that,” Bella said miserably. Andie grabbed her and led to the sofa and sat her down. Sitting beside her, she stared into her eyes, and all she could see there was uncertainty, and misery at the thought of being a burden to Harry._

“ _Then focus on getting stronger, sister and help us support him, but I know Harry will not hate you, Bella,” Andie said gently. “If he did not hate you earlier, he will not hate you now, or ever, I suspect. He's a good man, and he is determined to help you, as he has helped us. You know this, it is just your insecurities playing with your mind, something we will work on.”_

_Bella smiled in appreciation and looked up at Cissy, who had placed her hand on her sisters shoulder. “We're here for you, Bella. We will see you through this and we sisters will emerge from this, stronger than ever before...”_

000000

_Harry had finally made it to Albania, and was cruising along a deserted road which would take him towards his destination. It was rather cold and it was raining, as it usually did in the winter, in the south of this country. He journeyed for most of the day, until he finally found a small village, a number of houses scattered about. It did have an inn, luckily enough. Not wanting to spend the night outside, Harry parked the bike, and entered the establishment._

_It was obviously not a terribly prosperous inn, but it was a nice, comfy little place. Six rooms and a common room. Only a few locals were present and Harry gave them a polite nod in greeting. He approached the counter and asked for a room and a meal. Something local. The young barmaid, Anja, smiled happily and gave his order to her boyfriend Edon, who set about cooking his meal. Harry sat down and a little while later, the young woman brought out his meal and a key to his room._

“ _Up the stairs, the second room on your right. I must say, February is a strange time to be travelling, especially on a motorcycle.”_

_Harry found Anja's English to be excellent, if heavily accented. He told her that he had always wanted to go to this region of the world, and that no time was like the present. He mentioned her good English and discovered she had studied in the U.S.A, but had returned home when her father took ill, and could not manage the inn any longer._

_She and Edon were going to keep running the inn and she'd try to take a correspondence course from a university that offered such. Harry and Anja spent the rest of the evening conversing jovially, when she was able, and found they enjoyed each other's company immensely._

_Edon looked on and smiled. He later told Harry he was happy to see the usually worried girl relax a little bit. Around midnight, the two young people discovered the common room was empty. Anja then decided it was time to go home to her father; she would be back in the morning, to prepare breakfast. Harry bid Anja and Edon good night, locked the door behind them and turned off the lights._

_Harry ventured up the stairs, and found his room in short order. As soon as he entered the room, he felt nauseous and his scar hurt, for the first time in a long, long time. Harry's hand went to his forehead and he rubbed it for a while, until the pain subsided to a dull ache._

_Harry put his Bag down by the door, and sat down on the bed. He knew he had closed off the connection to Tom, so that was not the cause of the pain flaring up. He stared at the floor for a while, then he remembered a part of a conversation he'd had with Sirius once:_

**" _Listen, I knew Bertha Jorkins. She was at Hogwarts when I was, a few years above your dad and me. And she was an idiot. Very nosy, but no brains, none at all. It's not a good combination, Harry. I'd say she'd be very easy to lure into a trap._ " **

_He remembered Bertha was murdered in Albania and he realized, much to his dismay, that he was sitting in the very room wherein Riddle had murdered the poor woman. So this was where it truly began, the whole Tri-Wizard fiasco. Bertha might have been a fool, but she had worked in the Department of Magical Games and Sports, and as such, had been privy to all sorts of information._

_Harry shook his head. The blame for Bertha's death lay at the hands of Riddle, however, Barty Crouch Sr. was just as responsible. His vastly overpowered Obliviation when she had found out about his son, had messed with her mind. Bloody, useless Ministry... Knowing he was not about to get any sleep, Harry rested his back against the headboard, and spent the night meditating, and thinking. About Ginny, mostly._

_She had been on his mind quite often of late, and his conversation with Anja had him thinking about Ginny, and their relationship. Or lack there off. He did not know why he felt so strongly for her. When he thought about it, they had never really been close, before suddenly, he went and crushed on her bad in his sixth year._

_Oh sure, she'd had a crush on him for years that never really went away, and he'd always noticed her, for some reason. That time when her elbow hit the butter dish at the Burrow, had been adorable. He used his Occlumency, and searched his mind for their interactions through the years, and his own observations of her. He knew he had always liked Ginny, even if their earliest interactions had been little more than her squealing, and darting from the room._

_Nothing much happened after that, except, of course the whole Chamber of Secrets, Tom Riddle diary thing, but that was not what he was focusing on at the moment. Then there was fourth year, especially the Yule ball. He remembered dancing with Parvati, and he had noticed Ginny was having about as much fun with Neville as Parvati was having with himself. He'd had a nibbling sensation in the back of his mind that, perhaps he should have asked Ginny to be his date._

_Fifth year, she really came into her own and her confidence grew and she finally became somewhat comfortable in his presence, a fact he was very happy with. Of course they had spent a significant part of the train ride to Hogwarts in each other's company, as Ron and Hermione had gone to the prefect's compartment. While they certainly hadn't spoken much, he'd found her company enjoyable._

_That year, he realized was when he started noticing her properly, even if, at the time he did not realize just what it meant. Then she broke up with Dean and how worried he had been if someone else asked Ginny out. Soon after, they kissed in front of all those people. He could go over it again and again. He understood now that he'd been falling in love with her for years, without realizing it._

_Not that it mattered any more. There was little chance of her not being involved with someone by now. Thinking about all this led him to think of the other three women he was falling in love with, and he became even more confused than before. He needed to talk to them and clean the air, before he became obsessed with this, he reckoned._

000000

_The following morning, Harry left the village after breakfast and made his way further south. Needless to say, he'd left a huge tip, up in the room. He liked Anja and Edon and the service had been excellent. Soon after midday, he found what he was looking for; a deep, forested valley. There was a marked path, leading into the trees, but a warning sign caught his attention._

_Apparently, the forest was home to several wild beasts, wolves and the like. People also had a tendency to disappear and never be found and as such, any visitors to the forest visited at their own peril. Well, that was lovely, wasn't it? A perfect little piece of information, to set the tone for this little outing._

_Harry led the bike of the path, making certain the invisibility charm was still active, before leaving it behind. He removed his sword from the Bag, hung the pack on the bike and headed over to the entrance proper. He took a deep breath, and relaxed his mind, but not too much, he had to be alert. This, he knew would be the first real test of his newfound senses._

_A forest like this, was bound to be completely filled with animals and creatures, quite a few of which he might feel. And he would not only sense the animals, of course. The trees were living beings, even if they did not possess awareness, in the way sapient beings understood it._

_Harry shuddered with excitement and perhaps a touch of fear. He would really have to work to keep up with his senses, to keep them from overwhelming him. He reached out carefully, and at first it came to him like a tidal wave. It rushed over him and threatened to wash his awareness away like a piece of garbage on a windswept shore. Harry kept calm and breathed his way through the initial rush. In a few moments, it had become tolerable and he managed to brace himself._

_He strapped on his sword, and in he went, his eyes focused on the path, before him. It was badly overgrown, and it was apparent that it had not been tended to for a long time. As he made his way further into the forest, it became denser and the sunlight had a harder time penetrating the treetops. The path started to slope downwards as he ventured along._

_Afraid to let his mind wander to far into the forest, Harry kept his abilities in check, and open to only the most immediate area. It was hugely helpful in allowing him to keep tabs on everything that was happening and nothing could sneak up on him._

_Ahead and down, the path wound and Harry noticed that the further he went, the fewer and fewer animals he could feel. He found it strange, because it got steadily warmer as he walked further down. While his experience with animals was limited to Hedwig (how he missed her!) and Fawkes and whatever 'interesting' animals and creatures Hagrid brought to Care of magical creatures, it did not make sense to Harry, that animals would avoid warmth, especially in the dead of winter. There had to be a reason for it and Harry was fairly certain he would not like what it was._

_A fox came running over the path and it stopped to regard Harry. It walked over to him and sniffed his hand, before going about its business. In fact, the animals in the forest, at least the ones he had come upon seemed to relax in his presence, seemingly understanding that he was no threat and that he meant them no harm. Harry was glad of it. He rather liked animals and would have been quite put out if they would avoid him because of the nature of his changes._

_He had been walking for quite some time, when the feeling in the forest became strange, oppressive and nauseating and the heat uncomfortable. He had to be nearing the heart of the woods. Harry placed a hand on a nearby tree to brace himself when a large bear came bustling toward him._

_Harry made a non threatening gesture with his hands, but the enraged animal kept charging and it forced Harry to dodge and pull out his blade. The bear turned around impossibly quickly for a being of its size and slashed toward Harry with its paw, the claws barely missing their target._

_Having recovered from his initial shock, Harry twisted and turned away from the beast's attacks, trying to find a way to take it down without harming it, but it seemed impossible. Most animals would have retreated, when bashed with a rock or blasted with a well aimed wedge of air. So, with a deep sigh, Harry charged the bear when it had conveniently risen on its hind legs. Feeling disgusted with himself, Harry thrust the sword deeply into the heart of the beast, and it fell with a dull thud._

_Harry pressed on and was later attacked by a small pack of wolves, which he dispatched easily enough. Something was very, very wrong in here. Animals did not act this way, surely and he realized he had lost the connection with the forest. Whenever he reached out with his mind, it was completely blank, as if he was a regular old muggle. It was very disconcerting, but he pressed on still, determined to find out what was wrong. Perhaps the Horcrux was here after all, perverting nature with its evil?_

_Some time later, Harry came upon a large clearing with a massive tree in the middle of it. It was glowing red, and the heat it was radiating from a small alcove in its trunk was almost scalding. But all of that paled, in comparison to the utterly evil presence he felt, when he entered the clearing. At the other end, he could spy a creature, a creature he had seen in Gryffindor's bestiary. His shoulders sank a little at the sight._

“ _Bloody hell. A Leshen,” he muttered darkly as he unsheathed his sword, and gripped it tightly. Leshen were not foes people attacked alone, due to the fact the monster had an innate ability, to control the animals and plants within its immediate area, as well as the ability to attack with roots._

_He would have to rely on his superior reflexes to dodge, as the roots that it would without a doubt attack him with, were strong and could kill him with a singe strike. There was nothing for it, however. Harry had to discover what it was, that made this whole place practically ooze, with evil._

_Harry walked into the clearing proper and side stepped a root that came burrowing towards him with force. He threw a fireball at the Leshen, and while it did not catch on fire, it screamed in pain and anger. Harry rushed in and sliced and diced, before rolling away when the Leshen retaliated. He was not keen on being gutted by its claws, nor did he desire to be skewered by its antlers. A little overzealous, Harry rushed forward when he saw an opening, only to be met with a root in the face._

_A blinding pain, followed by a rush of blood, told him the thing had broken his nose. Another root came flying. Harry twisted out of the way, and rolled under the Leshen's arms, then struck with the sword, cleaving an arm off. An ungodly shriek followed, and Harry's eardrums nearly burst._

_He struck blindly, and hit the creature in the side, where the sword got lodged in. Before Harry could muster the strength to remove the weapon, the Leshen attacked and forced Harry to fall back. Gryffindor would have been furious; the only time a warrior did not hold his weapon in battle, was if the warrior was dead._

_Harry eyed the monster warily. Now he would have to rely on his armbraces. Not a bad thing, per se, but holding the sword was reassuring to him. He focused on the stump of the arm he'd cut off and noticed it was liberally leaking tree sap. Harry ignited a fireball in each hand, and threw them toward the creature, focusing on the severed arm. Both balls connected solidly with the beast and exploded. Harry rushed forward, throwing fireballs at the Leshen as he went._

_Finally, just as Harry was about to reach it, the monster fell to its knees in pain. Harry grabbed his sword and yanked it free and brought it down on the Leshen and severed the head from its body. The thing fell and did not move again. Harry summoned what water he could from the area, and put out the fire._

_Breathing heavily, Harry retreated to a low tree stump some distance away and sat down, exhausted. He felt his nose and placed the forefingers of both hands on either side and with a pained grunt, twisted it in place._

_After a few minutes, Harry got to his feet and approached the tree cautiously. Finally, he stood in front of the alcove and saw a marble orb, glowing red in the darkness. The orb was covered in runes and pulsed regularly, not unlike the orb in Gryffindor's study. Harry reached out to it, but stayed his hand when the ghost of a young man appeared next to it._

“ _Do not touch it, brave warrior! It will taint you, poison and kill you. Strike it with the sword and it should be destroyed, my lord.”_

_Harry eyed the ghost of a man who was garbed in clothing not dissimilar to what he had found and worn in Gryffindor's house. Wait, there was a ghost here, randomly floating in the forest? Not very likely, that. More likely, he was here for a very specific reason. A reason, he wagered, had something to do with Helena Ravenclaw. They would get to that, but first, he had to destroy that sphere thing._

“ _What is it? Do you know who made it?” Harry asked the ghost. The spectre floated closer to him, and eyed the thing with a look of clear distaste._

“ _It is a spirit tether, milord. Someone sacrificed a being of great power, and bound its spirit to the sphere. The purpose of such a tether is for the one who created it to feed on its energy to sustain their own spirit if their body has been destroyed. When a tether is created with the spirit willing, they are not corrupted such as this one. That only happens, when they are ripped from whatever creature they originally possessed, and forcefully placed in the anchor._

_The anger grows and festers and turns into hate for all living things, and eventually, if left alone, the anchor cannot contain all the energy and it bleeds into the environment, the way it has this forest. Now, as to who made it, I do not know, but he was light of skin and dark of hair. He came here many years ago and did something to my mistress' diadem and before he left, he created the anchor.”_

_Harry nodded at the ghost. “So, that's why he came here and how the bastard survived without assimilating one of his Horcruxes,” he muttered to himself. “You say a slash with my sword will destroy it?”_

_At the ghost's nod, Harry grabbed his sword in both hands and with all the strength he could muster, brought the weapon down on the sphere, which flickered a few times, before the pulses slowed until they stopped and the red light disappeared. Almost at once, the forest started getting colder, as things returned to normal. Harry motioned for the ghost to follow him as he went back to the stump he had used earlier and sat down._

“ _What is your name, ghost?”_

“ _Ballard, my lord.”_

“ _You came here with Helena Ravenclaw after she stole her mother's diadem?”_

_The ghost blinked several times, before nodding. “I did. I was her manservant and lover. Her mother did not approve of our love, so we eloped, but not before Helena, in vindictive anger, stole her mother's most prized possession. We came here, fleeing a man her mother, the Lady Ravenclaw had sent to find us. Eventually, he did and my love and I were killed.”_

“ _Why did he not take the diadem?”_

_Ballard shook his head ruefully. “The man never cared about the diadem, he only wanted Helena. When she both spurned his advances and refused to return with him, he killed her and myself in a fit of rage. I learned later that he took his own life as his grief over her death was too great to bear. The diadem lay hidden for an untold number of years before the young man I told you about discovered it and performed some kind of dark ritual on it, before placing it in the same spot he found it.”_

“ _Is it still there?” Harry asked hopefully._

_The ghost shook his head. “Some time ago, a man in a turban came into the forest, looking for the diadem, I believe. What he found, was the spirit of whomever made the tether. It possessed him, and had the man remove the diadem. Where it was taken, I do not know.”_

_The wheels in Harry's head were turning rapidly. Quirrell had taken the diadem, of that, there could be no doubt. Hogwarts, then. It was the last place anyone would look, after all. A sudden thought struck Harry._

“ _Did Helena come back as a ghost? Could she be nearby?”_

“ _I do not know, my lord. If she is nearby, I have certainly never seen her. That's not to say it did not happen. Not all ghosts appear instantly. Some take years to arrive from the in between.”_

000000

_Harry grabbed the Bag from the bike and put the sword and sphere in there. He got on the motorcycle and headed toward the village with Anja's inn. If he went as fast as he could, he might make it, in time for breakfast._

_At almost ten in the morning, Harry entered the inn and was greeted with a hug and a firm handshake from his new friends. When asked what had happened to his nose, he told them he'd fallen off the bike, which strangely escaped in perfect condition. Anja and Edon did not believe him._

“ _You went into the forest, didn't you?” Anja asked accusingly._

_Harry froze. How did they know? Were they agents of Riddle's, set here to watch the forest, and take care of anyone who went in there? As Harry's mind raced, Edon shook his head, clearly irritated at Harry._

“ _The signs are there for a reason, Harry. People get hurt in there, and you clearly did. Some say there are monsters lurking in those woods, that take away those who venture in there unawares. Did you see something worth mentioning?”_

_Harry smiled at the pair. No, they were not evil, they merely worried about him. “No, nothing too interesting. Ran into a few wolves, though. Had to chase them off and got tripped by a root. Kind of stupid, really. Anyway, it's time I was on my way. Perhaps we'll see each other some day, yeah?”_

_As Anja and Edon watched Harry drive off, an older man joined them in watching him go. After a couple of minutes of silence, he spoke to the younger people._

“ _Mr. Potter got rid of that thing in the woods?”_

“ _Yes, I believe he did,” Anja replied._

_The old man smiled. “Then he's still on the right path. Come, children. Let us leave this place. The Lady will want to learn of this.”_

_A few breaths later, a very confused Anja, Edon and Anja's father wandered into the inn, trying to piece together a pair of missing days since none of them could remember a single thing._

000000

_Harry walked into the living room at Nr. 45 and was greeted by Narcissa and Bellatrix. An hour earlier, he had returned the bike to Gringotts. He really hoped he would not need it again; he very much preferred brooms. Much smoother, and faster. And, of course, speaking from experience, he knew it was easier to outrun dragons on a broom, too. He saw the worried expressions on their faces and while he did not like worrying them, he did feel a little special knowing they felt he was worth their worry._

_He knew they would ask what had happened, and he decided at that moment, that he would always be forthcoming and tell them the truth. Not only was he their Head of House, they had thrown their lot behind him, and they deserved his respect, and lying to them was no way to show them he respected, and cared for them. As soon as he thought that, he felt the guilt over the fact that he was hiding from his friends, wash over him._

“ _Are you, alright, Harry? Over the last two weeks, I've felt some things through the bond which made me uneasy.” Bella asked in a small voice. Harry looked over the woman and found the two and a half weeks he'd been away had been good to her. She looked much better. Her teeth had been fixed and her hair was getting livelier. She was also filling out well, despite being a bit too thin, still. Her sisters had clearly taken good care of her. With Andie and Cissy there, she would be fine, he knew._

“ _I'm fine, Bella. I had a little run in with an Ironbelly, but it worked out fine in the end. Though, I must confess I'd really rather not meet one again, any time soon.”_

“ _An Ironbelly? Where?” Narcissa was greatly intrigued. Wild dragons were fairly rare these days, and Ironbellies were possibly the rarest breed of them all. They said an Ironbelly could be found in the very bowels of Gringotts, guarding the oldest vaults, but she wasn't certain she believed the rumours._

“ _I found one battling a Horntail somewhere over the Adriatic. Once the Ironbelly had dispatched the Horntail, it set its sights on me. I got away, though it was a close thing.”_

“ _The Adriatic? Where the blazes did you go?” Andie asked, as she entered the house. She was carrying a few bags of groceries, which put themselves away with a flick of her wand._

_Harry looked at Andie and smiled at her. “Later,” he said. She nodded in understanding and did not press the issue. “How are things here? Are you getting on alright, Bella? You look much better.”_

_Bella smiled happily at Harry. “Yes, we're getting along quite well, Harry, thank you. Andie and I have begun working through what happened to me and she tells me we have made great strides. I'm sleeping better, and the nightmares have almost stopped.”_

_Her cheer faded a little as she grabbed his hand, and stared him in the eyes. “The goblins certainly knew what they were doing with this compulsion of theirs. I can feel the bond helping me, it gives me strength. But in no way does it disrupt my daily life. In order to feel it properly, I have to consciously reach out for it. It is weakening even as we speak. I know that means I'm growing stronger and getting better, but it frightens me a little.”_

_Bella stepped into him, and Harry wrapped his arms around her. He did not see it, but her extremely content smile gave her sisters a pause, Narcissa in particular. Bella was obviously moving on him, and was not willing to wait too long for her prize. Cissy resisted the urge to fiddle with her hair, a nervous habit she had developed in her second year at Hogwarts and never really gotten rid off._

_She had to do something quick. Not that she was opposed to Harry and Bella having a relationship, but she wanted, no needed to tell him how she felt. If she managed to do that before Bella outright told Harry she was falling for him, it would make what came after a little easier._

_Before any of them got too serious, she would need to see if he was amenable to a life shared with her, Bella as well as Andie, even if their sister was in two minds on what to do. Narcissa was certain she could nudge her sister in the right direction, if she needed help. She formed a little plan for her own confession, but before all of that, there was a little something she needed to take care of._

_As Harry and Bella broke their embrace, Narcissa walked over to them, and placed a hand on her sister's shoulder and looked very pointedly at Harry's nose. “Were you going to tell us what happened to your nose, Harry?”_

_The young man smiled sheepishly and scratched the back of his head, looking a little guilty. “I was rather hoping it would not come up, actually. I'm sure you don't want to spend your evening listening to my problems.” All three sisters arched an eyebrow in an identical way, which would have made Harry laugh, if he had not felt he was suddenly in a very precarious situation._

“ _Fine,” Harry said with a sigh. “I fought and killed a Leshen, Cissy. One of the roots it sent at me, slapped me across the face. Had I known there was a Leshen there, I would have... Well I probably wouldn't have changed anything. I'm pants at planning, really. I'm much better at thinking on my feet. Anyway, Leshen are a difficult foe, not to be taken lightly.”_

_Narcissa crossed her arms and tapped a finger on her upper arm. She shot her sisters a questioning look, which they shared. What the bloody hell was a Leshen? Well, no matter. Harry seemed fine, and she wanted to spend some time alone with him. She would invite him to have dinner with them and perhaps, afterwards the pair of them could adjourn to Andie's study, and talk about that fascinating parchment he had placed in her possession, before he left. One of many meetings, she supposed, and dearly hoped for._

“ _Harry, would you like to join us sisters for supper this evening?” She asked him, a pleasant smile on her lips. At his nod, she smiled even wider and waved her wand in front of his face, and his nose set itself properly. She ignored his pained gasp and started for the kitchen._

“ _Ow! You could have used a numbing charm, you know!” Harry exclaimed and grabbed his nose with one hand, while the other tried to wipe away the tears that he kept blinking out of his eyes. Narcissa turned her head and grinned darkly at him. She spied Andromeda watching Harry with a worried expression, and decided they could do with a little time, by themselves._

“ _Yes, I could have. Be more careful next time and I won't have to fix you up. Bella, could you help me in the kitchen? Andie, please keep Harry company for a while.”_

_Bella joined her youngest sister, leaving Harry alone with Andromeda. She sat down on the sofa and picked up a Muggle magazine and flipped through it without interest. Harry allowed his senses to flare a little bit and listened for Andie's heartbeat, and found it slightly elevated._

_She was nervous and he thought he sensed a sadness in her. He scooted a little closer to her and took the magazine from her hands and took them in his own. Surprised, she looked at him and found his intense emerald gaze upon her, and she just about managed to fight down a shiver._

“ _You know you can talk to me, Andie. Everyone needs someone to talk to every now and then, and I'm here for you.” Harry said softly._

_After a moment's hesitation, Andromeda smiled at him and nodded. “Supper should not be ready for another hour, at least. Care to join me for a walk?”_

_A little later, the pair was walking down the street at a slow, steady pace. Andie kept her gaze on the sidewalk, and wondered what to say. Harry was silent, knowing she would eventually start talking if she wanted to._

“ _Ted and I met in our sixth year at Hogwarts,” she said suddenly and smiled wistfully. “He was a Muggleborn Hufflepuff, and a prefect. He was funny, witty and smart and quite handsome, and we quickly became a couple.” Andie chuckled softly before moving on. “I quite remember how shocked Cissy was when she found out, but she kept it to herself. Knowing the repercussions of anyone else learning of the relationship, Ted and I met in secret and were extremely careful.”_

_Harry grimaced and grabbed Andie's hand. She eyed him out of the corner of her eye, and was a little surprised to see an irritated look on his face. She squeezed his hand and laced her fingers with his._

“ _Knowing the Hogwarts rumour mill as I do, that can't have been easy. Keeping things secret in that castle is next to impossible,” Harry said._

_Andie scowled at that. “No it wasn't easy, but as I said we were careful. We made it through that year, and were quite happy together. Then, at the second term of seventh year, a series of events led to the ousting of our relationship. Mainly, I learned of father and aunt Walburga's plans of contracting me to Thorfinn Rowle.” Harry sighed dejectedly. She stopped and looked up at him._

“ _What is it?”_

_Harry shook his head slowly. “It´s just that I've captured him on at least two different occasions, only for the bloody Ministry to release him again. Sometimes, I feel like I'm banging my head against a wall. Snapping their wands, does delay their return, but eventually, they always come back.” He smiled at her apologetically. “Sorry for interrupting. This outing is about you, Andie. Please go on.”_

_Andie was silent for a moment, before she started speaking again. “Well, Hogwarts went into a bit of an uproar, over the relationship between Ted and I. A Slytherin and a Hufflepuff? An unusual pairing. A pureblood of the finest stock, and a Black no less, dating a Muggleborn? Impossible. It was more of a scandal than Siri being sorted into Gryffindor. Needless to say, my family was not pleased. Father sent me a letter, demanding I cease my involvement with that 'filthy Mudblood'. I refused and at the end of term, I bid Cissy farewell and left with my boyfriend.”_

_Andie let out a deep sigh and continued. “I did not meet either of my sisters for almost a year. I'd heard that Narcissa had been given to Malfoy and I was very distraught. I knew of his reputation, after all. With some difficulty, I managed to contact Narcissa without anyone knowing and convinced her to meet with me. She agreed and we set up a meet. A few days later, I arrived at the café, to find both my sisters there. At first, I was very happy, but the meeting did not go well. I tried to convince them both to leave with me, but neither of them was willing.”_

“ _Cissy wasn't?” Harry asked, somewhat surprised._

“ _No, but I'll get to that,” Andie said. “Of course, as we know, those bastards Lestrange and Riddle had gotten their hooks into Bella by then, and I could not get through to her. She was so proud of her Mark. She then proceeded to call both Ted and I all manner of foul names, and ended by telling me I'd been blasted of the family tapestry, before Apparating away. Cissy and I spoke for a while, before she had to leave._

_Cissy knew I blamed myself for her fate, but she told me she'd probably have married Malfoy, even if I'd been there, that she did not share my courage to leave. Besides, had I not left, I'd have been forced to marry Rowle, who Narcissa had learned was a sadistic, evil bastard. I was not surprised, he was friends with Malfoy, after all. She told me to live my life and be happy and perhaps we'd see each other again. After that meeting, I did not see Narcissa, until she suddenly appeared on my doorstep after you rescued her.”_

_Harry blushed a little bit and was caught completely unawares when Andromeda hugged him tightly and after barely a moment's hesitation, he hugged her back. “I want to thank you Harry, for bringing us sisters together again,” she whispered in his ear and stepped back. “It has been so much better than I'd imagined, and I could not be happier about it.”_

_Harry assured her that it had been his pleasure and that he was glad they had reconnected. On the way back, Andie told Harry of her life with Ted and regaled him with stories of her daughter. She was a little surprised Harry remembered Nymphadora from Hogwarts, as she had been a seventh year, and in a different house, when he joined the school._

_Harry told her it was a little hard to forget a bubbly girl, with spiky, bright pink hair, who seemed entirely too happy. Andie laughed out loud at that. That most certainly sounded like her Nymphadora._

_By that time, Andie had taken a hold of his arm as they neared the house and she found she had enjoyed the walk immensely and she felt lighter than she had ever felt since Ted's death. She had half dreaded that Harry would tell her he was sorry he had not managed to save her late husband, but he had not._

_She suspected her daughter, must have had something to do with that. She was very glad; he carried way too much on his shoulders as it was. When they reached the house, she gave him a slow kiss on the cheek, and thanked him for everything, after which they went inside for supper._

000000

_Narcissa was looking at the parchment in front of her, though her mind was elsewhere. She had seen Harry and her sister approach the house, and noticed her how her sister clung to his arm. Andie had been quite a bit livelier, during a truly fantastic supper, than she'd been for a long time and Narcissa could only assume Harry had managed to get her to open up to him. She was glad._

_Focused on helping Bella and herself work through their numerous issues, Andromeda kept her own pain all too close to her heart, and it could not be good for her and Narcissa knew Andie was slowly slipping into depression. Hopefully Harry could help her. She heard Harry enter the study and motioned for him to sit with her on the sofa so they could look over his notes, together._

“ _Harry, this is quite a fascinating read, this parchment you left with me. Incredibly ambitious, to say the least. I have to ask, though, why come to me for help? I was not raised in a house with tolerant beliefs.”_

_Harry stared her in the eyes and he became completely serious.” I've come to realize you are an incredibly intelligent woman, Narcissa and I'm certain I'll need your help to make most of this happen. I shudder to think what Malfoy could, no, **would** have accomplished, had he known what he had in you. Fortunately, he is a fool, who drove away an amazing woman, and now I have the opportunity to learn just how brilliant she is.”_

_Not knowing how to react, Cissy made a show of reading a part of Harry's notes more carefully. The sincerity of his words reached her very soul, and the familiar warmth ran through her. Was that how he saw her? Truly? Then it might be time to see if he was able to engage her properly. Mr. Malfoy never really could, and she yearned for it._

“ _I thank you for the sentiment, Harry. Now, let's start at the top, shall we? I must admit your first point surprised me greatly. Abolish the Hogwarts house system? I assumed you were a proud Gryffindor? After all, you certainly embody the values of that house very well.” She tapped her chin a few times. “But when I look closer, I can see a mix of all four houses in you.”_

_Harry smiled at her, and tapped the parchment. “I had to ask the hat not to put me in Slytherin, Cissy. It said the house would lead me to greatness, but if I was sure, then it had better be Gryffindor. Meeting Draco on the train, where he insulted Ron may have had something to do with my choice, I reckon.”_

_Narcissa smiled at him. It was not too surprising, really. “Your reasoning for the abolishment of the houses? I'm fairly certain I've come to the right conclusion, but I'd like to hear it from you, regardless. To make certain there is no misunderstanding, of course.”_

“ _Of course. If we want to change anything in the wizarding world, we have to start at the beginning, Cissy. You know what Hogwarts is like. This stupid rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin is completely ridiculous, and serves no purpose. Brave, reckless and chivalrous Lions. The cunning and ambitious Snakes. The cold and smart Ravens, full of wit, the supposed brains of the school and last but certainly not least, the just, loyal and hard working Badgers. The house no one wants to go to, because all they supposedly have going for them is their loyalty to their friends. And people say it, almost as if that's a bad thing.” Harry growled at that. “Idiots.”_

_The young man ran a hand through his hair, which brought Narcissa's attention to his ears. One of these days, she really needed to learn what he'd done to his body. Similarly, when he smiled a full smile, which he rarely did, she could see those canines of his. It all added to the mystery that was Harry Potter, and she desperately wanted to learn more._

“ _That blasted hat sings about house unity almost every year, which is a bit foolish, since all the house system actually does is create, and maintain a divisive atmosphere. There's even a house cup, that you can win if your house does not break the rules and does well in school. Which would perhaps work to encourage students if it wasn't for vindictive wankers such as Snape, who has abused the system, throughout his tenure at Hogwarts.”_

_Narcissa snorted. “Of course Severus would do that. In some ways, he's such a foolish man.”_

“ _Sometimes, yes,” Harry agreed. “But the problem does not stop there. I mean, people identify themselves by which house they were sorted into, throughout their lives, Cissy. And it's not like it doesn't have an effect on your life, you know. A company owner, who went to Slytherin will probably never hire someone that came from Gryffindor or Hufflepuff. I imagine they'd likely hire a Ravenclaw,, if no Slytherin was available.”_

“ _That's true, I suppose,” Narcissa said._

“ _This needs to change. Both Slytherin and Ravenclaw are notoriously individualistic; there's no real camaraderie within those houses. I mean, sure, they throw their support behind their Quidditch teams, but that lasts, what, an afternoon three times a year? The rest of the time, the Ravens compete internally for the top spot in their year, academically. They don't help each other out, either, oh no, that might give someone a leg up. The same is true of Slytherin, what with the backstabbing and cheating... It's completely different within both Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. ”_

_Narcissa eyed the parchment, then looked back at Harry.“Well, that's how it's always been, Harry. What you're proposing will take a thousand year tradition, and effectively throw it out the window. I know most people will not take well to such ideas.”_

“ _No, they won't, but let me ask you this. Where is the highest concentration of purebloods at Hogwarts? Slytherin. Where do most of the Death Eaters and the worst bigots come from? Slytherin. That's not a coincidence, Cissy. Some of these people come to Hogwarts as children who have been conditioned to believe they are superior to others, simply because of the 'purity' of their blood, and the fact that they are human._

_Then they spend the next seven years in Slytherin, surrounded by kids with similar views, and it only grows and festers. Draco is a prime example of just that. He's a below average wizard, who holds steadfastly to those ideas. And that's even despite the fact that there's not a shred of evidence of any kind that suggests magical strength is always hereditary in families. In the end, it's all about the individual.”_

“ _There are bigots in more places that just Slytherin, Harry,” Narcissa pointed out._

“ _Of course there are,” Harry said, conceding the point. “Ron Weasley is one of them. He may not mind centaurs, werewolves or Muggles, but if you're from Slytherin, you must be evil, so stay away. I'm certain Molly and Arthur have not actively encouraged such behaviour, but they may not have given him a reason to believe otherwise. I know there are many decent people in Slytherin, or have been. Merlin, Horace Slughorn, even though he's an opportunistic arse. Slytherin himself, of course. He was a right decent bloke, or so I've heard.”_

_Filing that bit about Salazar Slytherin away for later, Narcissa gave him a look, and Harry stared innocently at the ceiling while twiddling his thumbs._

_“_ _Can't think of anyone else?” she asked, a teasing lilt in her voice._

_Harry pretended to think about it, then gave her a teasing smile. “Nope, that's about it, I think,” he said, and laughed heartily when he saw the look of mock indignation on Narcissa's face._

000000

_The hour was late when Narcissa rolled up the parchments, and she and Harry sat back in the sofa, relaxing for a bit. Well, Harry was relaxing, while her own mind was a swirl of emotions. She was nothing short of ecstatic. Not only was Harry very intelligent, he was also possessed of a devious streak that she found, to her amazement, highly arousing._

_But the thing she was most happy about, was the underlying kindness in everything he was hoping to accomplish, and how he spoke to her as an equal, and listened to her input. He even deferred to her experience, when he felt she had the right of it._

_She found it a little sad, that this was a rather novel experience for her, but it felt great and she loved him for it. Over the past few weeks, she had gone back and forth from wanting him, and denying it, but there was no hiding it any longer. She was, for all intents and purposes, head over heels in love with him, and she needed to make it known, to show him proof of her affections._

“ _Something on your mind, Cissy?”_

_She nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of his voice, but managed a small smile.“A few things, Harry. Nothing for you to worry about, though.”_

_Harry eyed her for a moment. “If you say so,” he said, before standing up, to get himself a drink of water. He didn't drink alcohol, apparently. When he asked her if she wanted anything, she told him she would not refuse a drink herself._

_He made his way over to the cabinet, but got sidetracked by a shelf with four white stones, that had a red cross painted in the middle of them. Deciding to ask Andie about them sometime, Harry moved on to the cabinet._

_Narcissa watched him move, and decided she was going to take a leap of faith. She rose from the sofa, and stalked over to the young man, who was busy pouring his own drink. Just as he turned around, to ask her what she wanted, Narcissa fisted his shirt with both hands, and crushed her lips against his, in a feverish kiss. Harry instinctively grabbed her lower back, and pulled her against him, while his other hand caressed the nape of her neck._

_Narcissa moaned into the kiss and opened her mouth a little and her tongue sought out his own. Their bodies melted together, and the intimate and very passionate kiss went on for while, before they leaned back to catch their breath. Narcissa leaned in, and rested her head against his chest, feeling quite happy and content._

“ _Wow,” she mumbled softly as she listened to Harry's heart hammering in his chest._

“ _Hey, that's what I was going to say, you thief,” Harry joked._

_She looked up at him to find him gazing down at her, a happy smile on his face, although it was a little embarrassed. She smiled back, before leaning from him a little. He still held her, not really wanting her to retreat, but allowed her a little space. She was quite thrilled at his possessive nature._

“ _Harry, I,” she began, but Harry silenced her with a quick peck on the lips._

“ _I have a little confession to make, Cissy,” Harry said, and looked directly into her eyes. “I've thought of you constantly, ever since that moment I held you in my arms in the forest surrounding Malfoy manor. I cannot explain it, because I don't understand it, but there it is. I know a spark formed there, and it has grown into a raging bonfire. Your beauty and brilliant mind have captivated me in ways I cannot fathom, and I am overjoyed to learn you feel the same way.”_

_At that point, Harry's emerald eyes had grown bright, almost to the point of glowing, but then suddenly, they seemed to shut off and go lifeless and dull and he let her go. Narcissa grabbed his hand, and led him back over to the couch. She still held his hand, but Harry seemed unable to meet her eyes._

“ _What is it, Harry? If it's about you falling for my sisters, I am aware of it, and I don't mind it.”_

_Harry turned to stare at her incredulously. “What? You know? How?”_

_Narcissa chuckled, and placed her hand on his thigh. “It's painfully obvious, Harry. At least to me. And it's not as if it's one sided either. You mean the world to Bella. You're her everything and she will test you soon, I'd imagine. You did not see her expression earlier, when you held her in your arms, but I've never seen her so content before. Don't let this bond of yours get in the way, Harry. If she makes a move, and you are willing, don't resist. And then there's Andie.”_

“ _Andie?” Harry asked, surprise evident in his voice._

“ _Yes, Andie. She's 'on the fence' I believe the saying goes. She wants to explore it, but she is worried about how little time has gone by, since the death of Theodore as well as how Nymphadora would react to her mother taking a lover, that is almost seven years younger than her own daughter. Not to mention someone who's her friend. Harry, the idea of a polygamy is nothing new in the wizarding world, especially among the purebloods. As such, almost every pureblooded witch learns at a very young age to accept the fact, that she may have to share her husband with another woman, sometimes even more than one. It is rare these days in Britain, but it does happen.”_

_Narcissa moved closer to Harry, and kissed him on the lips, and hugged him. While she had realized this was definitely bothering him, she was also very certain there was something else he needed to tell her as well as her sisters._

“ _I know you are aware of the possibility of multiple wives, by the lack of surprise on your face. This most likely makes you a little uncomfortable, but I hope you'll come to accept it as a possibility. If you do choose to accept it, I know you'll make us very happy, Harry. Never doubt that. You seem to have a problem accepting that others care about you, and it has something to do with your upbringing, and we **will** discuss it with Andie and Bella at a later date. Now, will you please tell me what it is that's really bothering you?”_

_Harry leaned back into the sofa, his mind working furiously. Narcissa had kissed him, and he had responded in kind, and it had felt just right. It was almost like slaking a thirst, after working in the sun on a warm summer day. But the thought of the Horcrux in his soul, had brought him crashing down. He needed to tell them, they deserved nothing less, considering what was forming between them._

“ _Narcissa, could you bring your sisters in here, please. They need to be here for this. I'll be back in a few minutes.”_

_Narcissa, who was greatly alarmed by Harry's grave expression, nodded and left the room to fetch her sisters. Meanwhile, Harry quit the house, and Apparated to the stronghold, and put the former Horcruxes as well as the tether he had found in Albania into the Bag, and popped over to Andie's house again._

_He entered the study, to find the sisters pacing the room in a nervous fashion. Harry opened the Bag, and placed the goblet on the table as well as the locket. Andie looked thoroughly confused, whereas Bella and Cissy stared at locket and goblet in a shocked silence._

“ _What are those, Harry?” Andie asked, and looked at the young man._

“ _The locket of Salazar Slytherin and the cup of Helga Hufflepuff. I took the locket from the sub basement of Malfoy manor. You remember, don't you Narcissa?” She nodded at him. “A friend stole the cup from the Ministry and I collected it from him.”_

_Bellatrix looked from the goblet to Harry, a frown on her beautiful face. “I remember when Riddle entrusted me with that thing. I was so proud that I took it, and never questioned what it was. Not that I questioned anything the man did, being his thrall and all.”_

“ _These are exquisite items, true, but what do they have to do with anything?” Narcissa asked. “What was it you did back at Malfoy manor? I recall you collapsed and experienced terrible pain.”_

_Harry sighed, and steeled himself. This was going to be hard on all of them. “These items contained a piece Riddle's soul, a pair of Horcruxes. As long as these things exist, he cannot be killed. His body can be destroyed, but his spirit endures. I do not know the specifics of creating one of these, nor do I care to, but I know you must split the soul, and to do that, you must commit murder in cold blood.”_

_All three sisters stared at him, and then onto the table in disgust. This was what Harry was hunting? Now, they at least partly understood why he was so adamant about keeping his activities hidden. At least concerning these. It would not do, to have Riddle start moving them around. Narcissa realized now that at the time, the biggest reason he had saved her and Draco and Snape, was so that he could use their escape as cover, so that no one would suspect anyone had been into the sub basement._

_A move worthy of any Slytherin, but knowing him, something that would make him feel unworthy of her love. She made a mental note to disabuse him of any such foolish notions; it made her want him more, not less._

“ _How many of those vile things are there?” Bella asked in a slightly choked voice._

_Harry started naming every Horcrux, picking them of with his fingers. “There was the diary Malfoy placed in Ginny's cauldron the summer, before her first year and caused the whole fiasco of my second year. I destroyed that one, with one of the fangs from the Basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets. Then, there is a ring that belonged to Riddle's grandfather, Marvolo Gaunt. There are these two,” Harry said, and gestured to the items on the table. “And I think I know where to find the next one, which I believe to be Ravenclaw's diadem. I looked for it in Albania, and found evidence, that suggested it can most likely be found at Hogwarts. I also believe Nagini, his familiar to be a Horcrux.”_

_Andie looked thoughtfully at Harry. “And with him being the seventh. It makes sense from Arithmatic standpoint, I suppose. But Harry, surely there are some problems with splitting your soul like that? And would he not have absorb one of his Horcruxes, to come back?”_

“ _Sure,” Harry said. “He's much weaker than he should be, and six times is the most you can split your soul. One more and you die, or at least that's the theory. But the theory doesn't appear to be entirely accurate. He did in fact create a seventh Horcrux, and lost one, I think. The night he murdered my parents, he lost his body, and I think it was destroyed because, technically, it was a Horcrux, since it only held one part of his soul. He left a part of himself behind, though. Bella and Cissy, you've both seen how he looks these days, frail and weak. Unnatural. His soul is too weak to form a proper body, and he is too afraid of death to seek out and, reclaim the pieces he has split from his soul, in order for him to get a proper body.”_

_Bellatrix sat down in the sofa. Her hands trembling a little, she grabbed Harry's hand tightly. She was staring at him, and he saw the truth dawning on the horrified faces of her sisters. They both found a place to sit, their eyes never leaving their Head of House. Eventually, Bellatrix mustered the courage to ask the question that was on all their lips._

“ _What is the last Horcrux, Harry?” she asked in a small voice._

_Harry took a deep, calming breath. “You're holding it, Bella.”_

_The room went completely silent. Bella stared at Harry in horror._

“ _Can it be removed?” Narcissa asked, and looked at him with watery eyes._

_Harry shook his head. “The only way to destroy a Horcrux in a living being, is to destroy the vessel, Cissy. The Horcrux integrates itself into the host, and in my case, my soul. That is why it cannot be removed. The only way to remove the soul from the body, is death or the Dementor's Kiss, and I will not become a vegetable. What this means is that, in order for Tom to ever die, I have to die first.”_

_Harry reached into the bag and brought out the two halves of the tether, holding one in each hand. “I've often wondered if Riddle used one of his Horcruxes to come back before, and now to answer your question, Andie. When I was in Albania, I destroyed a thing called a tether he created to maintain his spirit. It's a kind of double insurance. It bypasses the need for him to assimilate a Horcrux, each time his current body is destroyed. I have no way of knowing if he made any more of these things, but it seems likely. So, unless I die, he could, theoretically return again and again, using the same ritual Pettigrew performed in the graveyard of Little Hangleton. Assuming there is someone around to put his spirit into a Homunculus, like they did last time around.”_

“ _Could we not bind his spirit to such an anchor, like he did whatever poor thing he trapped in this thing?” Bella asked._

“ _Probably. But what then? Do we hide it under the Fidelius, and hope it will never be found? Or do we kill whoever guards the secret, so that it can never be revealed? What if someone, at some point discovers a way to counter the charm and finds Riddle? Or destroys the anchor. That will not kill him. Not while I still live. I cannot in good conscience do that, Bella. He must die, for the sake of everyone. I will not settle for anything less.”_

_Bella hugged him tightly, then leaned back. “Why tell us so suddenly? Why now?”_

_Harry smiled sadly at her. “Because Narcissa and I shared an incredible moment earlier, something I've been thinking of, ever since I rescued her all those months ago. I've also admitted to myself, that I've fallen in love with all three of you, and I let myself go too far with Narcissa, without telling her about this, and it was not fair to her, or you. I had to tell you, because if there's a chance of you loving me back, you must know.”_

_The silence that followed Harry's words was decidedly uncomfortable. Harry walked to the door to the study, but looked back before he left. “You have a lot to think about, and I want you to take your time. It's not an easy decision to give someone your heart. Especially knowing they may not be around for long. I'll be back soon. Please put these things away somewhere safe.”_


	9. X

X

Harry woke up in the middle of the night, feeling a little hot under a blanket he did not remember, from the night before. He turned his head and found Bellatrix was still there, sleeping beside him. She had, at some point, expanded the sofa so that it could comfortably hold two people, or even a third. Suppressing a pained grunt, he very gently got to his feet, so that he did not wake her and walked to the kitchen and pulled a bottle of milk from the refrigerator.

He poured himself a glass and then another. He leaned against the counter and stared at the white liquid he was now rolling around the rim of the glass. Nym was right. He could not do this any more. The guilt had finally gnawed at him enough that he was now a sodding, bleeding mess. It was time, he decided. Once he'd gotten his hands on Rowena's diadem, he'd contact his friends and reveal himself to the world. Once that was done, he would figure out how to get to Nagini.

Harry took a large sip of milk. Lodging a Horcrux in a living being was incredibly risky, and showed a level of astounding arrogance. It seemed obvious that Riddle did not believe anyone knew of the Horcruxes, since he clearly had not checked on them since his return. He'd seemed perfectly content to let the goblet lie in the Ministry, at least.

It was mostly under his control, so that might have had something to do with it, Harry supposed. Now, finding Nagini could be a simple matter, as Riddle usually did not seem to go anywhere, without his trusted familiar. It might even be a simple matter of challenging Riddle, to attract his attention. If he got wind that Harry Potter was, in fact not only alive, but also the one who'd been disrupting so many of his plans, he would not be able to resist making a personal appearance. He had to. It would not do for Riddle, to leave him be after all that he had done.

Harry smiled ruefully. There was absolutely no chance it would be that easy. Perhaps Riddle would leave the snake behind. If old snake face did that, then Harry would use any battle against Riddle as a distraction... He was much to tired to be thinking about that. Shaking his head, Harry downed the rest of his milk.

He returned to the living room, and crawled back under the covers to his Bella. She mumbled something, and snuggled closer to him, placed an arm over his chest and draped a leg over one of his. He wasn't going anywhere, that was for certain. Holding back a chuckle, Harry closed his eyes and was almost asleep, when he felt another presence in the room.

He cracked open one eye, and saw Narcissa standing in the doorway in her nightgown, looking at them with a somewhat envious expression. Harry smiled at her and scooted a little closer to Bellatrix, and Narcissa crawled into the sofa with them, and rested her head on Harry's shoulder, completely content. Despite feeling slightly silly at being in bed with two women, Harry closed his eyes, and felt himself drawn into his dreams...

000000

_Harry was utterly miserable. In the week since he had told Andie, Bella and Cissy his secret, he had shut himself off in Gryffindor's stronghold and moped about. Truth was, he was a bloody coward. He had not felt so low, since Sirius' death and he was certain they wanted nothing to do with him, now. Still, it was something he'd had to do. It was only fair, after all. He ran a hand through his hair, and ruffled it a little._

_Why had he allowed himself to fall in love with them? (How the bloody hell had it happened in the first place?) He had accepted that he would not survive this quest, and that he'd have to sacrifice himself, for the greater good. Then fate had decided to toy with him, some more. When would it be enough? Shaking his head, Harry wanted to scream in frustration, over his life. Instead, he went down to the basement, and meditated._

_A few hours later, Harry made his way to Andie's house and, as per usual, it appeared before him. Fighting the urge to turn away, Harry mustered his courage, and walked up the steps, and just before he placed his hand on the knob, he heard someone race to the door. The door opened, and he was pulled inside by Bellatrix. She slammed the door shut, and practically threw him against it and pounced on him._

_Harry caught her, and turned around to press her against the door, while she crossed her legs behind his back. She put her arms around his neck, and kissed him fully on the lips, and a second later, they were locked in a passionate kiss, completely oblivious to anything else. This went on for a while, before someone cleared their throat close by. The pair broke apart, and Harry gently placed Bella on her feet. She locked eyes with him and placed a finger on his lips, when he opened his mouth._

“ _Be quiet, you. We forgive you, but don't ever disappear like that again, you hear me!” Bella said and poked him in the chest, hard enough to bruise, he was certain. “We've been worried sick about you. Do you know how I've felt this past week, with you so miserable? It kept bleeding over the bond! I'm making a new rule, Harry Potter. From now on, there will be no self pity or self loathing, and none of that angsty shit, either! No lover of mine is going to be a mopey little git.”_

_Bellatrix then stalked down the hall and disappeared into the living room, leaving a slightly bemused Harry Potter behind, rubbing a sore spot on his chest. When he had not moved a moment later, Bella stuck her head into the hallway._

“ _Get in here. **Now!** ”_

_Harry chuckled, and made his way into the living room, to a comfy chair Bella pointed to. As soon as he did, Bellatrix walked over to Narcissa, grabbed her hand, and practically threw her into his lap. Cissy giggled like a teenage girl, and made herself comfortable, before she placed a hand on the back of Harry's head, and brought him in for a searing kiss._

“ _Welcome back, my love,” she said and rested her head against his shoulder, and sighed softly, happy he was back. Harry placed his hands around her, enjoying her warmth._

_Bellatrix sat down on the sofa and Andromeda joined her. “As you can see, Cissy and I, have decided to not let this thing in your chest affect our feelings for you. We realize you may not be around for much longer, but we cannot deny ourselves the chance of exploring whatever this is, and if that kiss I shared with you just now and the way Cissy is smiling tell us anything, then it's that it is worth it. Andromeda says she needs to think about things, but she'll come around, I'm sure.”_

“ _Bella!” Andie almost shouted, in indignation. Her sister merely gave her an impish smile._

“ _Oh, come off it, Andie! You're on your way too, you're just not quite there yet. Can you look at how happy Cissy is, and tell me you don't want that?” Andie blushed and looked away, catching sight of her younger sister, who wiggled her fingers her way._

_“_ _No, I did not think so. You know he can make us all so very happy.”_

_Harry laughed at their antics. Every time he saw them all together, he felt happy, that he'd been able to do this for them, reunite them. Riddle had torn apart so many families, his own was just one of dozens, hundreds even._

_He knew that, of course, but it was always hard, thinking about it. He leaned his head back, and sighed happily, as Narcissa burrowed just a little further into him. The thought that this would not last, threatened to enter his mind, but he refused to let it, and simply focused on the feeling of being around these women who loved him._

“ _Harry?” Andie began._

“ _Hmm?” Harry responded eloquently._

“ _Can you tell us about your childhood?”_

_Harry opened his eyes, but kept them focused on the ceiling. “Why would you like to hear about that? It's nothing special. I imagine yours was miles worse, than mine ever was.”_

_Andie was not about to let it lie, though. “Never mind us, Harry. Nymphadora mentioned to me once, that it had been rather ghastly. Something about the worst type of Muggles, a cupboard, padlocks and a cat flap. There was mention of bars on your window. I may have mentioned it, to my sisters.”_

_Narcissa had not moved, but her eyes were open, and she was listening intently. While she, like her sisters, knew Harry on an instinctual level, that he was a good and honest man, she yearned to learn more about him. As did her sisters, apparently. She had been so curious to know, just what kind of upbringing Harry had had, given his apparent boundless capacity for love, yet to be so blind to the affection of others._

_What Andie had mentioned earlier did not bode well. She had, of course, often heard her son go on an on about Harry and his friends, ever since his first year and Severus had on a few occasions, ranted about the entitled Potter brat, that was just as arrogant, and foolish as his father._

_Harry's father had been five years her junior, but what little she remembered of James Potter at Hogwarts, Severus was certainly right about his arrogance. Regarding Harry, she had, however summarily discounted Severus and Draco both, because she knew they were both vindictive, and cruel._

_As it turned out, they were very wrong. Harry was certainly not arrogant, he was humble, shy even, and he had a tendency to deflect praise, which was quite unbecoming of a man such as him. She felt her love take a deep breath, and rub her arm a few times. She relished his touch, and purred in satisfaction._

“ _When my parents died, Sirius arrived in Godric's Hollow, and found the house completely destroyed. As I understand it, he had retrieved me from the wreckage, right about when Hagrid arrived. Rather than take me to his home, he handed me over to Hagrid, and went after Peter Pettigrew. You all know what happened there, about Peter's deception, and how Sirius was thrown into Azkaban, without a trial.”_

_Andie made a disgusted sound in her throat. “A fine day for the Ministry,” she said sarcastically, and her sisters readily agreed._

_Harry smiled. “Well, that night, Hagrid brought me to Little Whinging, on Sirius' motorcycle. There, he met with Dumbledore, and they left me at my aunt's doorstep. The first ten years of my life, I mostly spent in the cupboard under the stairs. It was my room, you see. I didn't mind it much, since it was all I had known. I didn't like my relatives, and at least they left me alone, in there. Really, the only thing that annoyed me about it, was the fact the fuse box was in there, and it gave off this annoying buzzing sound.”_

_Despite the serious discussion, Andromeda grinned at Harry. “It must have been rather annoying in bad weather, if they had to go in there often, to check on the fuses.”_

“ _Right!” Harry said, and grinned at her in return, his eyes twinkling in mirth._

_Noting the lost expressions on Cissy and Bella's faces, they moved the discussion further. Of course, they did not know what fuses were... Harry went over his life in some detail, and the sisters were rather appalled at a few points._

_For example, when Harry described the summer after his first year at Hogwarts, and told them about the bars on his window, and the padlocks on his door, and of course, the cat flap where his food was served through._

_Bella was particularly angry, and it was all Andie could do to stop her from going to Surrey, and hex those 'filthy Muggles' into next week. She eventually relented, at Harry's disapproving look over her language._

“ _Where they ever physically violent, Harry?” Andromeda asked. At that point, Narcissa had moved, and sat beside him, and she watched him very closely, when he answered that particular question._

“ _Aside from Dudley? No,” Harry replied. “I think if Dursley had ever done something like that, Petunia would have murdered him. You see, after I mastered my Occlumency, I've spent quite a lot of time organizing my mind. I've gone through my childhood memories, and I've come to suspect certain things that I would like to keep to myself, until I've talked with Petunia. Whenever that may be.”_

_After that, things moved rather smoothly, until Harry came to his fourth year. The sisters were quite annoyed at learning the school staff did nothing to curb the student's behaviour towards Harry, after his name was pulled out of the Goblet of Fire. It was very similar to the way Harry had been shunned, when everyone thought he was the heir of Slytherin._

_Harry brushed it off, and the sisters let it go, albeit reluctantly. (Unbeknownst to Harry, the three sisters each vowed to have a talk with one Minerva McGonagall, one of these days.) When they reached the events of the graveyard, Bellatrix insisted on expanding the chair, and to sit on Harry's other side. Harry did get a little emotional when he told them of Cedric's death, and the Priori Incantatem, seeing his parents, and how he barely escaped with his life._

“ _Wait, there's one thing I do not understand,” Cissy said when Harry mentioned his return to the Dursleys, after Voldemort's resurrection. “Why were you required to return to Privet Drive for the blood wards, if Riddle used your blood in his resurrection? I would imagine they'd be useless.”_

_Harry merely shrugged. “I don't know. I did not ask at the time, and no one seemed to question anything Dumbledore did. Perhaps he put up some additional wards? I really don't know.”_

_Then, came fifth year. Harry went over the Dementor attack, and his subsequent trial, and the sisters, once again, became really quite irritated with the Ministry and the bumbling idiot Fudge. As the conversation went along, Bellatrix became more and more agitated._ _When Harry got to his detentions with Umbridge, Bella took a hold of his hand, and rubbed the back of it affectionately, while occasionally murmuring what she would like to do to the bitch, if she ever got her hands on her._

_Bella eventually broke down, when Harry came to the events in the Department of Mysteries. She crawled into Harry's lap, and sobbed quietly into his neck, begging him over and over to forgive her, for taking Sirius from him._

“ _Bellatrix. Bella! Stop it this instant!” She looked at Harry, who grabbed her head in his hands, and wiped away the tears with his thumbs. “I already told you. I do not hold you accountable for his death. That has not changed. We will take care of Rodolphus and Riddle eventually, and avenge his death.” He leaned down, and kissed her passionately, and she relaxed against him._

_Harry mostly breezed past sixth year. He told them of his lessons with Dumbledore, and their sojourns into memories from Tom's past, and the failed quest for the locket. And of course, the battle of the Astronomy tower._

“ _I'm curious, why were you absent in that battle, Bella?” Harry asked, once the story was over._

“ _Riddle did not want me there, distracting Draco. He was supposed to kill Dumbledore, and Riddle was afraid that I'd be too excited, and do the deed for him. I'm a bit surprised, though. Considering who the bastard sent through the cabinet, I half believe he did not think the attack would be a success.”_

_Harry leaned back in the chair, before he suddenly sat up and looked over to Andromeda with a inquisitive expression on his face, as he had just remembered the stones he'd wanted to ask her about._

“ _Andie, what are those white stones in your study?”_

_Andie looked in the general direction of the room in question. “They're emergency Portkeys, that take you directly to the emergency room of St. Mungo's. All mind healers who work from home are provided with these, in case a patient becomes violent. Of course, all patients are required to leave their wands out here, but St. Mungo's isn't taking any chances. Accidental magic is rather common, when working with a troubled mind. The activation word is 'Help', but they are further charmed in such a way, that if they are grabbed by a bloody hand, they activate instantly.”_

“ _Good thinking,” Harry said, and eased himself back into the chair._

000000

_The room had settled into a comfortable silence, and Harry found himself relaxing completely with Narcissa on one side, and Bellatrix on the other. After a while, Harry closed his eyes, and was asleep in moments. Narcissa watched Harry's chest, and when his breathing had deepened and evened, she conjured a blanket and motioned for her sister to rise from the chair, which slowly rearranged itself to its original size. Harry stirred a little, but remained asleep. The three women went into the kitchen, and Bella made tea._

“ _Well, that was awful.” Narcissa said after a while, and made a face. “Harry's story, I mean. The tea is excellent.”_

_Fuming, Bellatrix nodded. “I am so angry right now, Cissy, I can't... How could Dumbledore let all this happen? Wasn't he supposed to watch over him? Or that crazy Kneazle lady, Figg. And those relatives... It's not like the old man didn't know! Harry's Hogwarts letters were addressed to 'The cupboard under the stairs' for Merlin's sake!”_

_Andie scowled fiercely. “If that man was still alive, I imagine I would have a few choice words for him, myself. I'm amazed Harry turned out as well as he did. He is kind and caring, and he loves those he takes into his heart, without reservation. And he is selfless. Perhaps too much so, which I think leads us to his largest problem; his sense of self worth. He's much too willing, to endanger himself for others.”_

_At her sisters somewhat incredulous looks, Andie raised her hands in a pacifying gesture. “What I mean to say is, he's much too reckless. Who in their right mind would have continued into the Chamber of Secrets, without any help? I can understand doing that for his best friend's sister, and the daughter of the people that took him in, or rather saved him from those awful relatives of his. In the end, it worked out for the best, I suppose, but for a twelve year old to kill a Basilisk? And with a sword, no less... It goes beyond anything I would call even remotely sensible. Not that the magical world makes a lot of sense, mind you.”_

_Bella growled at the mention of the Dursleys, and Narcissa placed a hand on her shoulder to try and calm her down. Despite herself, Andie chuckled at her sister, then continued. “And, now he's risking it all for complete strangers over and over again. It's not his job. He's not a bloody Auror. It's not a healthy mindset, sisters. I fear it may result in his death, eventually. And I think Dumbledore is responsible for it.”_

_Bella shared a look with Narcissa, who smiled at her sister. “And yet this is why we love him. He's everything our former... owners... were not,” Bella said, and took a sip of her tea._

“ _Bella and I would not be here, if not for his selfless, forgiving nature. The intense look in those emerald eyes when he looks at me... It's intoxicating, Andie,” Cissy said as she rose from her chair, to look out the window. “One advice, I'll give you, sister; do not wait too long,” she said, and turned to look at Andie. “I know you're falling in love with him. Bella and I may tease you two with it, but he most likely does not realize the truth of it. He is a bit dim when it comes to women, but we can both see it in the way you stare at him, when he's not looking. Don't even try denying it. Or understanding it. Merlin knows Bella and I have tried.”_

_As Andie made to answer Cissy, a loud gasp from the living room startled them, but before they could go investigate, they heard Harry come racing down the hallway at full speed. He spared a glance their way, as he flew by the doorway, and into Andie's study._

“ _I'll be back!” he shouted, and proceeded to burst out the front door, his sword in hand. A deafening silence settled over the sisters, as they moved and stared at the front door._

“ _Was he holding a sword?” Andie asked after a while._

“ _He was, wasn't he?” Bella asked no one in particular._

_A few moments of silence followed, before Narcissa frowned, and looked at Andromeda. “You were saying something about Dumbledore being responsible for Harry's behaviour?”_

_Her sister scowled at that. “Knowing what we do now, both about Harry's life, and the Horcrux in his chest, I think I know why Harry is so willing to sacrifice himself for 'the greater good'. I think Dumbledore may have slowly conditioned Harry into what he is and created a martyr. I think the old man always meant for Harry to die.”_

_000000_

_Harry appeared in a small clearing, not too far away from the Burrow, and the small village of Ottery St. Catchpole. The Burrow wasn't where he was headed, however. His destination was a ways to the west, the home of one Xenophilius Lovegood, and his daughter Luna._

_Harry strapped his sword onto his back, and started running toward his friend's house at full speed. The wind in his face, Harry could already smell the fire that had been started, at the house. Cursing his phoenix friend for not alerting him sooner, Harry was becoming frantic. But he had to wonder. Why attack Mr. Lovegood now? Why not sooner?_

_He suspected the very nature of the paper, might have something to do with it. It rarely featured anything really noteworthy, and most people did not take anything printed in there seriously. Unless you were a bit weird, which Luna most certainly was, but she was a good friend, and Harry wouldn't change a thing about her, even if given the chance._

_Had Xeno perhaps stumbled onto something that he should not have and been careless when researching? Very likely. It was also more than likely that Mr. Lovegood had told Luna whatever it was he was doing, they were very close, after all._ _Harry slowed down, when he neared the hill where the Lovegoods lived. The house, which was affectionately referred to as 'The Rook' was a tall building, shaped like a chess piece, and was surrounded by trees that obscured all but the circular battlements, when looked at from the foot of the hill._

_Luna had told him that she and her father were known to have a bonfire on occasion, and by the time the Weasleys would notice anything was amiss, the house would be ablaze, and they'd most likely be too late to do anything._

_As Harry neared the house, he could hear the voices of the Death Eaters, who were clearly enjoying themselves. They joked about, and laughed as they fired spell after spell at the house, wearing down the wards. Then suddenly, one of them cried out in triumph, and the others cheered. Harry heard the front door crash open, and a man in obvious panic, yelled a few incantations, before the intruder subdued him, and set to bring him outside._

“ _That's enough for tonight, lads. We'll take care of this from here. The rest of you, go back to your families.”_

_Harry had almost reached the house, and hid behind a tree as a few Death Eaters popped away, leaving behind three of them. Harry had recognized what he thought was the voice of Avery, but he did not know the other man, who was waiting for the third one, to bring poor Xenophilius to them._

_Harry frowned deeply as he saw the intruder drag the poor man outside by his long, blonde hair. Mr. Lovegood was obviously badly hurt, and bleeding. The Death Eater dropped him onto the ground like a piece of garbage. Xeno was nearly unconscious, Harry noted in alarm. Taking in the third attacker, he recognized the axe hanging from the attacker's belt, and the frown turned into a murderous scowl._

_Walden Macnair. The sadistic bastard the Ministry had sent to execute Buckbeak. He had also taken Luna hostage in the Dept. of Mysteries, and the memory of it had Harry quivering with rage. It seemed like Macnair was unhappy with the fact, that he could not kill Luna, or probably something worse._ _Harry wanted to simply Apparate to them and leave, but earlier, he had felt as the anti Apparition charm was placed over the area, once their mates had left. After a moment's hesitation, Harry gathered his power into the arm braces, and sent a gust of wind toward the men._

_They reacted by turning in all directions, Mr. Lovegood all but forgotten. There was panic evident in their movements. (Bravery and Death Eater were not terms used together). They knew who was there, and they wanted to flee, but their master had warned them, that anyone who ran from **him** ,without at least trying to defeat him, would face the full brunt of his wrath, and that was too frightening for them to even consider actually running. _

_They watched the man walk slowly toward them, his eyes literally glowing. How in the blazes did that man appear, so often when they were going about their business? Their master had been very... thorough in the way he went through their ranks, trying to determine if there was a traitor among them. They had also changed almost everything about the internal workings of the Death Eaters after Bellatrix disappeared, so that couldn't be it._

_One of the men sent a Cruciatus Harry's way, which he almost lazily avoided, and tore a chunk of stone from the ground, and sent it their way, which was quickly dealt with. He needed to get them away from Mr. Lovegood, so that he could give the wounded man Andie's Portkey, but the question was how._ _Mr. Lovegood was getting steadily weaker, and Harry was starting to panic. Macnair, Avery and the third one, which Harry suspected was Mulchiber, started throwing spell after spell his way, hoping to overwhelm him._

_Harry barely managed to avoid the curses sent his way, and only managed to retaliate a little, before being forced on the defensive. If Harry had identified these men correctly, they were all from the Inner Circle of Riddle's forces, and the difference in skill was startling, when compared to the usual riff raff he had encountered, since the start of his crusade. Their spells were more powerful, more decisive, and their speed and accuracy were on another level, entirely._

_Harry ducked, rolled, and weaved out of the way of the curses, and all the while, he moved in a circular pattern. Each time he avoided an attack, he managed to get a little closer to Mr. Lovegood. Thankfully, the Death Eaters were too focused on their enemy, to notice what he was doing. Eventually, Harry got close enough to Mr. Lovegood, and dived toward the man, praying there were not anti-Portkey wards in the air._

_He placed the white stone on his chest. Luna's father was unconscious by then, but Harry managed to grab the man's bloodied arm, as he rolled over him and drop it onto the stone, and just like that, there were just Harry and his three enemies left._ _Harry grinned at the way the men seemed to stare at the ground where their intended victim had lain, and used the distraction to send three rather weak spears of air towards the men, and unmasked them in the process._

“ _Well, well. If it isn't some of Riddle's most loyal slaves. This is the first time I've actually run into any of the Inner Circle, since all this began. Well, except Rowle, but he's an incompetent idiot, so he doesn't count,” Harry said as he slowly removed his coat. “And Bellatrix, of course, but I took care of her.” At that, Mulciber's face locked in a grimace of near panic, while Avery and Macnair sneered at him, their eyes shining with hate._

“ _Don't you dare mention his name! This will be your last fight, you filthy mongrel!” Macnair snarled. “And besides, even if you take us, we'll be released within the week anyway.”_

_Harry actually laughed at that, a cold emotionless laugh. He carefully unsheathed his sword and it flashed in the light cast from the house, which was now completely on fire. He needed to finish this quick before the Weasleys arrived. He stared at the men in front of him with contempt._

“ _I've been hesitant to kill any of you so far. Didn't want to lower myself to your level. Well, that stops now."_

_Harry tore three rocks from the ground, and launched them at his enemies. Avery and Macnair easily transfigured the incoming stones to harmless feathers, and sent curses Harry's way, but they missed and Harry darted toward Mulchiber who, in his panic, had not managed to deal with the initial attack. Harry reached the man, who was stumbling from being hit with the stone, and with a quick swipe of his sword, severed the man's head from his body._

_Enraged, Avery summoned a fiery whip and lashed it toward Harry, who simply grinned, and let the thing wrap itself around the arm brace on his left hand. With his inhuman strength and speed, Harry pulled on the whip, and launched him into the Lovegood house. He could hear beams and stones crash on top of Avery, and drown out his pained screams. If he'd managed to hold onto his wand, he might have gotten clear, but the wand lay on the ground, several feet away._

“ _So, Macnair. It's you and me, then. How about we see if you can do anything with that axe on your hip? Or is it just for show?” Harry asked as he twirled his sword lazily, and paced slowly in front of the older man._

“ _You don't want to avenge your comrades? Perhaps they were even your friends? Nah. A goon with your ugly mug can't possibly have any friends. It's probably why you wear a mask, after all. To hide that ugly face. Or is this your arse? I'm honestly not sure. If you had a woman, I'd ask her, but I imagine she prefers the mask on, so she might be just as confused, as I am.”_

_As Harry kept throwing insults Macnair's way, the executioner's rage kept building. Who was this whelp, to speak to him in such a way? He was Walden Macnair! A man feared for his ruthlessness, and skill with the Unforgivables. Not to mention his delight in hurting others._

_And it was time to hurt that little bastard, in a way he had never been hurt before, and to show him how a real man wielded a proper weapon! He holstered his wand, and pulled the axe from its loop on his belt and gripped it tightly. With an enraged roar, he charged toward Harry, raising the axe above his head, preparing to cleave his adversary down the middle._

_He never got that far. So enraged was the Death Eater, that he never noticed the big chunk of stone, that came his way, and slammed into his side with the force of a fully loaded lorry. With a sickening crunch, Macnair tumbled away, and Harry let the slab fall to the ground with a loud thump._ _He sheathed his sword, and made his way over to the axe, which had buried itself in the ground. After yanking it free, Harry walked over to Macnair, who lay moaning, and gurgling on the ground. Harry shook his head at the sight._

_A small part of him wanted to leave right then, and let him suffer, until the Weasleys arrived, and either helped him or put him out of his misery, but he wasn't willing to listen to that voice. He was better than that. He stared at Macnair in disgust and contempt. He was better than **them.** _

_Harry took a firm hold of the handle of the axe, and with one smooth motion, dropped the weapon onto Macnair's neck, and ended his life. Leaving the axe where it had sunk into the ground, Harry strolled over to his coat, and pulled it on. Almost as soon as he had put it on, he heard a few popping noises to the west, and he quickly Apparated away, leaving the mess for his friends to clean up._

000000

_Mad Eye, all of the Weasleys, bar Ginny appeared at The Rook, along with Remus, Tonks and Hermione. Kingsley arrived a few moments later. Moody made his way toward the house, his wand at the ready, his magical eye whirring in its socket, taking in every minute detail. A house on fire, two bodies on the ground, and one buried in the wreckage of the destroyed building. Standing over the body of one Walden Macnair, Moody resisted the urge to spit on the corpse._

_Everyone deserved respect in death, even an enemy such as this. Alive was another matter, entirely. He was vaguely aware of the gasp that escaped the lips of Granger as she noticed the bodies. Molly Weasley looked at it all with the grim acceptance of a person, who had long ago dismissed any foolish notions, that Death Eater filth deserved anything less, than what was on display here._

“ _So, **he** finally decided to do something about those Inner Circle scum,” Moody said, his tone clearly indicating his approval. Hermione shot him a dirty look, but said nothing, having had quite a bracing 'discussion' with Moody on one occasion, when she had learned their leader had killed a pair of Death Eaters, who had surrendered, early in the war. _

“ _Macnair and Mulchiber...” Mr. Weasley mused as he surveyed the scene, putting an arm around his wife. “Any sign of Xeno?”_

_Moody shook his head, and pointed toward the ground a few feet away. “Nay, he's not here, but I'm fairly certain that blood on the ground there, belongs to him. Tonks, lass, pop over to 'Mungo's, and see if he's there, would you?” Tonks gave Remus a chaste kiss, and disappeared with a crack. “There's is a person buried in the wreckage, Arthur,” Moody continued as his magical eye trained itself on the house._

_Mrs. Weasley gasped, but quickly reined herself in. “Luna is still at Hogwarts. Perhaps a third attacker?”_

_Moody nodded, and started extinguishing fires, and with the help of the others, it was accomplished quickly. As soon as they had managed that, they set about clearing the rubble, intent on discovering the identity of the body buried there. It soon became apparent._

“ _Avery,” Shacklebolt said, and levitated the charred body out onto the lawn. It was not burned beyond recognition, but pretty ghastly, nontheless._

“ _Brother mine?” George said._

“ _Yes, my esteemed brother and colleague?” Fred replied._

“ _Remind me to-” George began_

“ _\- never get on **his** bad side?” Fred went on._

“ _Yes. It seems painful,” concluded George._

_Shaking his head at the twin's antics, Percy made his way toward the bodies, and looked at them pensively as Hermione examined them more closely._

“ _Avery was clearly thrown into the house with incredible force, Mr. Moody. You can see where his back, and shoulders shattered on impact. He was unlucky, though. He survived that, and burned alive.”_

_Moody shot a glance at the young witch, and gave her an approving nod. She went on to examine the other two corpses, which Moody felt was rather pointless. The cause of death was clear; the men were missing their bloody heads. Suddenly, a quiet laughter could be heard, and the group turned as one toward Kingsley, who was staring at the bodies. Moody cocked his head to the side. What could the man be laughing about?_

“ _I'm sorry. I know this is hardly the place for mirth, but I wonder just what will happen to Rowle if the vigilante ever gets his hands on him, again. Somehow, I doubt there'll be much left for the Ministry to find, that time.”_

_Moody smirked at that, before shaking his head. “Those three and Bellatrix, presumably. Seems to me the Inner Circle's getting smaller... Riddle's not going to take this lying down, so be prepared for a fight.”_

000000

_Harry brushed as much of the dirt and soot of his coat as possible, as he walked down the street to Andie's house. Blast it, he smelled like he'd gone through the Floo ten times, over the last hour. Oh, well. He walked up to the door, and entered the house to find all the lights off, except in the living room. He moved down the hall, and into the room to find the sisters sitting in front of the fire, their faces showing different states of worry._

“ _I'm back,” Harry said helpfully and dropped into the nearest chair with an exhausted sigh. He looked at the ceiling for a while, before he leaned forward, and his hands came together beneath his nose. He blew a long breath through his nose in an effort calm himself down. He took in their expectant faces and it really hit him then, that he wasn't going to be able to keep everything to himself, any more._

“ _The Lovegood home was attacked tonight, by Death Eaters. Avery, Macnair and Mulciber were among them. It got... violent.”_

_Narcissa eyed him carefully. He seemed to be alright. Physically, at least, but there was a furrow in his brow that she had not seen before. “What happened over there, Harry?” she asked as she went over, and took his hand in hers, tracing small circles on the back of his hand with her thumb._

_Harry stared into the fire, not really seeing it, his eyes a bit too wide. “When I got there, the house was on fire and Macnair was dragging Mr. Lovegood out of the building, by the hair. I got really angry at that, mostly, I think, because Luna is a dear friend of mine. She's a bit quirky, but I wouldn't have it any other way.”_

_Narcissa, Andromeda and Bellatrix chuckled a little at that. “Well, she **is** the daughter of Xenophilius and Pandora Lovegood, how could she be anything less? Her father went to Hogwarts the same time as us. He was in Ravenclaw, and as quirky as they come.” Andie said with a smile. “According to Nymphadora, Luna is very smart, and a friend to her friends.” _

“ _That she is,” Harry said with a smile. “She went with me to the DoM, and people don't do that sort of thing, for just anybody.”_

_Harry was silent for a few moments, his green eyes flashing in the fire. “I was just so angry, you know? I've seen all this before, destroyed homes, dead bodies, whole families slaughtered, because I didn't get there in time, but none of it had quite the same effect as this attack did. Anyway, I watched them send away most of their force, leaving behind just the three of the Inner Circle. At that moment, I made the decision I was going to kill them. Those three would not destroy any more lives. Not if I had any say in it. So I did. Avery, Macnair and Mulciber are dead. I cut the heads off Macnair and Mulciber, and buried Avery under a burning building.”_

_Harry stared glassy eyed into the fire, his expression vacant and distant. All three sisters were looking at Harry in a new light. They realized he had crossed a threshold this night, one he had been reluctant to go beyond. And he had not stepped over it, he had leaped._ _Killing beings such as vampires, and werewolves in transformation, and causing the death of other humans in the heat of battle was one thing, but making a conscious decision, to end another human life with cold determination, was something altogether different._

_Before anyone said anything, Harry let go of Narcissa's hand, and reached into the Bag to pull out a bloodstained sword. He laid it across his knees, then reached into the Bag for a piece of cloth, and a vial of oil, and what looked like a whetstone. As he set about cleaning the sword, Andie and Bella conjured a pair of chairs, and sat closer to Harry._

_They watched in silence, as their Head of House cleaned the blood of his weapon, mesmerized at the familiarity, with which he handled the sword in his hands. Once it was clean, Harry picked up the whetstone and examined it, before he ran it along the edges of the blade with practised and measured movements. Once he was done, he oiled it, and put the sword back into the bag, along with everything else, but he stared at the whetstone, turning it in his hands, as he began speaking again._

“ _I had not thought I would feel so awful after killing men like that, but I do. I feel dirty, disgusting and evil. They had to be stopped, I know that, and I could have done so without killing them, but I did not. I took their lives, and it was so **easy**. They were no match for me, the only reason it took as long as it did, was because I had to get Mr. Lovegood out of there. He's at St. Mungo's now, Andie, thanks to your Portkey, but that's all I know. I don't know if he lived, but I doubt it. He was very weak, when I got him out of there.” _

_Harry took a deep breath. “I've decided, that should I run into any of the Inner Circle, they will not survive, if I can manage it,” Harry declared in a dark, cold tone of voice._ _A thought came over Harry then, and he looked over at Andromeda in alarm. “The Portkeys are not registered specifically to each person they're handed out to, are they?”_

_She shook her head at that. “No, they're not. All 'Mungo's knows is that I have four of them,” Andromeda said. “Harry, what you're feeling now is completely normal, for someone who does not kill for the simple pleasure of it. They had to be stopped, you said so yourself, and handing them over to the Ministry would have had them out within the week, free to do whatever their master wished. And please, do not fall into the trap of asking yourself how you can be the judge of who lives, and who dies. We are at war, and those men chose their side.”_

_Harry nodded, but seemed unconvinced to Andie. “Riddle is going to want recompense for the loss of three of his more trusted lieutenants, and I expect to be very busy for the immediate future, so I do not think I'll be able to come here for a while. But I have to ask you, Bella, why has Riddle not shown himself, since he murdered Amelia Bones? I meant to ask you, but it honestly slipped my mind, until now.”_

_Bella looked at Harry for a moment, before grinning maliciously. “Ever since he tried to possess you in the DoM, his magic has been in constant state of flux, he can't control it properly. The last I heard, it was steadily getting worse. It is known to only a few, but the loss of Snape has severely limited his recovery, so he was turning toward runes,” Bella said._

_She fixed Harry with a serious look. “Whatever you do, do not underestimate him, Harry. Even with this problem, he is the most powerful mage in the Isles, bar yourself, perhaps. And even if he wasn't, his knowledge is awe inspiring.”_

_Harry got to his feet, and shouldered his Bag, and smiled at the three women, who were looking at him with very disapproving eyes, because they knew exactly what he was planning to do. He wrapped his arms around Narcissa, and kissed her passionately, and did the same with Bellatrix. Finally, he gave Andromeda a lingering hug, and once he released her, he ran his hands a couple of times up and down her upper arms, and smiled at her._

“ _I'll be fine, girls. It's going to be fine. Honest. Will you let Remus and Tonks know I'm OK, when they come by later? I'll come by as soon as I am able, all right? Perhaps I'm wrong and Riddle will take the hint, and lay low for a while.” Harry smirked at the collective snort that followed, and he quit the house in the dead of night, heading back to Gryffindor's stronghold._

_000000_

_Once Harry was gone, there was a heavy silence in the house. “This cannot go on, sisters,” Bella said with conviction. “We may not be able to help him directly, but I can't to do nothing!”_

_Narcissa nodded, and turned to Andromeda. “Nor can I. Perhaps we can convince Nymphadora to allow us to help the Order? On a different note, we need to approach someone about those disgusting Horcruxes, and if there's a way to remove them from a living body. I refuse to give up. Harry may have resigned himself to his fate, but I have not.”_

_As Andie began answering her sister, the flames of the Floo turned green, and her daughter stepped out of the fireplace with a worried look on her face. She walked right up to her mother, and stared her in the eyes, her own full of anger, worry and hurt._

“ _Where is he!?” Tonks all but yelled at her mother, who drew herself up and gazed down her nose at her daughter. This seemed to calm the younger woman somewhat, but she was still terribly anxious. “Well? I've been trying to get through for ages!”_

“ _I locked the Floo when he returned,” Andie said. “I'm happy I did, too. Harry needed some peace, and quiet, Nymphadora, to at least start to come to grips with what he did this evening. Oh, and he's fine, by the way. Did Xeno make it?”_

_Tonks shook her head. “No,” she said, and sighed sadly._

_Another roar of fire, and Lupin emerged from the Floo, looking aghast.“He's gone, isn't he?” He asked without needing to, once he saw his friend's son wasn't in the room._

_Andromeda walked over to Lupin, and put a hand on his shoulder. “He did what he needed to do, Remus. He told us he was done holding back, against the Inner Circle.”_

_That did little to settle Lupin, though. “He should not be going it alone! How long until he snaps?” He asked the woman in front of him. She motioned for Lupin and Tonks to take a seat in the sofa and conjured chairs for herself and her sisters. Once they were all comfortable, she started to speak._

“ _You are right, of course, Remus. Harry should not be alone out there. I am, however, not overly concerned with his mental state, at this moment. He has shown remarkable resilience, since I met him. It will start to wear on him more and more, and once he decides to fully open up, we three will be there for him,” Andie said with conviction, and motioned towards her sisters._

_Tonks scowled at her mother, when she said that, and she seemed to catch her second wind. “Are you sure there isn't something else clouding your judgement, Mum?”_

_Andie's eyes flashed angrily at that, and she turned a furious gaze on her daughter. “You will remember I am your mother, Nymphadora, and that when you are in my house, you will treat me with the respect I am due! Now, my feelings toward Harry, whatever they may be, are **not** under discussion at the moment, and I'll thank you to refrain from such remarks, in the future.”_

_Tonks was similarly furious, and looked ready for an epic row, when her husband placed a hand on her thigh. “Dora, I know I was messing about before, but surely you don't think it was anything more, than a fleeting fancy?”_

_He looked at the three women, and became decidedly uncomfortable, when Bellatrix and Narcissa smiled very satisfied smiles, at each other. Andromeda called upon her Occlumency training, and schooled herself; it would not do for her daughter to see the blush that was fighting to break out on her face._

_Andromeda seized the lull in the conversation to take control. “We have a request, Remus. We agree, that what Harry is doing cannot go on any further, but we do ask you to keep the secret for a while longer. He's planning to 'come home' soon. I think it should not be more than a few weeks longer, in fact. That being said, we want to take a more active role in this war.”_

_She turned to her daughter. “Dora, you know we are more than capable. Our power is matched by few, and we want to help Harry any way we can. Could you please talk to Alastor for us? I do request that Bellatrix remain out of the discussion, however. At least for now. I don't think people are quite ready for her, yet.”_

_Tonks sighed softly as she eyed her mother, and aunts appraisingly. She knew her mother was telling the truth; the Black sisters were extremely powerful, and would, without a doubt, be a massive boost to the swelling ranks of the Order. She also agreed, that her aunt should not be outed to the world, just yet._

_She was of a mind with her mother, that no one was quite ready for such a revelation, Neville Longbottom and his grandmother, least of all. Perhaps, once Harry came back, he could ease the blow for his friend. Standing up, she gave her mother a quick hug, and apologized for her outburst, and her mother assured her that she understood. They were all worried about Harry, after all._

“ _I'll see what I can do, Mum. I make no promises” she said as she followed her husband through the Floo._

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_As Harry predicted, the weeks that followed, were some of the worst since the war began in earnest, after the death of Dumbledore. Harry criss crossed the country, fighting like never before, the news of the death of Luna's father driving him. Voldemort's forces were particularly ruthless, in the first week after Harry had killed the three members of the Inner Circle, and it was clear they were out for blood. It did not matter whose blood they spilled, it seemed, so long as it flowed._

_Harry had contacted the Order a few times, when Fawkes had sent him visions of more than one attack, and more than once, he had joined Mad Eye in attacking a Death Eater safe house. He had managed to warn the Order well in advance of an impending attack on Hogsmeade. The combined presence of the vigilante group, as well as a surprising number of Aurors, given the state of the Ministry, had apparently deterred the enemy on that occasion._

_It wasn't only Death Eaters Harry had to content with, though. Marcus had also enlisted his help one time when he'd learned the location of a few rouge vampires. Interestingly, Maria had been absent, and when Harry queried the elder vampire about it, he sent the young man a withering glance, and told him she'd been almost unbearable, and completely depressed since Harry had spurned her advances. Once they had taken care of their enemies, with the help of another vampire Marcus knew he could trust, he proceeded to give Harry another warning, concerning Maria._

“ _Harry, my boy, this was very well done, and I see you've improved your swordsmanship a little, since the last time we met. That is good. Now, I must be on my way, but I leave you with a warning,” he said and placed a hand on Harry's shoulder. “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned...”_

_Harry frowned, and cocked his head to the side, eyeing Marcus and the other vampire warily. What the hell did that mean? Harry raised a finger at the vampire leader, about to say something, but realized he had nothing to say, really. Were they serious?  
_

_They were smiling, and chuckling as they turned and walked away from the young man. It did nothing to allay Harry's fears. Well, they were probably joking. Weren't they? Was he going to have to keep an eye out, against Maria now? Great, just great. Harry sighed wearily. Typical, really. Why was his life always so bloody complicated?_

000000

_Harry made his way slowly across the field, heading to yet another Muggle farm. It had been almost three weeks, since his fight with Avery, Macnair and Mulciber, and things had been extremely hectic. To Harry's annoyance, he had missed a chance to go to Hogwarts during the Easter holiday, to hopefully find, and destroy the Horcrux in the diadem._

_He had hoped the castle would be less packed with students, during the holiday, but realized after thinking about it, that most parents would probably have elected to have their kids spend as much time as possible, in the relative safety of Hogwarts._

_Amid big attacks all over, and one failed attack on Hogsmeade, there were reports of renewed attacks on out of the way Muggle farms, across the country. Harry let out a sigh as he came into view of the house, but the sigh turned into a low snarl as he heard a man's pained scream, the scream of someone being held under the Cruciatus._

_It was when Harry felt a pained prickle in his scar, that he went practically livid. Riddle was there! And he was alone, no less. Harry reached into a pocket on the inside of his coat for his mask, and placed it over his face, then pulled the hood over his head._ _It would have to do, besides, he was fairly certain Riddle would not recognize him. The snake had never felt it when they were close to one another, so Harry had the element of surprise. He angled around the house and found four people lying on the ground, with one of them writhing in pain._

_The unfortunate victim, suddenly stopped moving, and the man standing over the unmoving forms screamed in frustration. He turned toward what Harry recognized as a little girl, and aimed his wand at her preparing to do something, but Harry was not about to let him play that game, any longer._

“ _Hey! You! Come and face me, you bloody coward! I'm right here, you snake faced bastard!” Harry shouted at his nemesis, who jerked away from his intended victim. He sent a stream of water his way, followed by a shower of stones and effectively shepherded his enemy away from the Muggles, who were slowly coming around, and inching their way toward their house._

_Riddle had blocked Harry's water stream, and easily transfigured the hail of stones into harmless flakes of snow. Harry did not give him any chance of retaliating, and worked himself into a bit of a frenzy as he attacked with rare fervour._ _Tom Riddle was no amateur, though, and slowly eased himself into the pace of the duel, and before long, the two combatants were exchanging fierce shots, very nearly catching each other with their attacks. Having not seen Riddle for almost three years, Harry could not resist taunting the bastard a little bit._

“ _Come on, Riddle! That's the best you can do? Even Avery was better than that! As were Macnair and Mulciber. What is there to fear from you if that's all you have?” Harry said, and sent a large boulder Riddle's way. His enemy transfigured into a rain of boiling oil, which he sent toward Harry with a speed which surprised the younger man._

_Harry wove a shield of air in front of himself, but had to dispel it, and roll out of the way as a big wooden barrel came flying his way, and transfigured into some kind of monster Harry couldn't name. Harry unsheathed his sword, and sent a big fireball toward Riddle, who summoned a part of a barn wall to block it._ _While that was happening, Harry charged the beast, which looked like some kind of cat/dog hybrid and slashed his blade downwards, and the beast morphed back into a completely destroyed barrel when it collapsed._

_Moving away from the barrel, Harry saw a curse coming his way, which had the distinct colour of the Cruciatus. Realizing it was too close for him to effectively dodge, Harry moved his sword in a desperate attempt to block the curse._ _The weapon intercepted the beam, and deflected it the way whence it came. Harry felt nothing, except a little cramp in his hands on the sword. Under different circumstances, Harry would have laughed at Riddle's total shock, but as it was, Riddle recovered quickly, and fired a bevy of curses at an astonishing rate._

_Harry calmed his mind, and worked his sword carefully, blocking each and every one of them, and even managed to deflect a few back with great accuracy, all the while advancing on his adversary, who was obviously quite shaken by this new development. That's when he tried throwing the killing curse. Harry recognized the movement, and got ready to dodge as he did not think the sword would be enough to deflect that particular piece of magic._

“ _AVADA KEDAVRA!” Riddle screamed, at the top of his lungs._

_To say what happened next shocked Harry, was like saying Hermione didn't mind reading **Hogwarts: A history.** Riddle screamed in pain, and frustration when all he could produce was a faint green glow, at the end of his wand. Riddle stood there a moment, and stared hatefully at the failing apparatus, and then at Harry, who stared right back. Both combatants were shocked out of their reverie, when a gunshot was heard, and a piece of earth was torn loose as the bullet buried itself in the ground, close to Riddle's feet. _

_Harry stole a look in the direction it came from, and found the badly twitching father standing in the door to his home, holding an old hunting rifle, which he pointed toward Riddle. Harry actually grinned at that, and sent a fireball towards his enemy, who barely managed to freeze it before it reached him. With a last, hateful look toward the Muggle, Tom Riddle fled the fight, Apparating away, leaving Harry alone in the dark, chuckling at the fact that a Muggle had actually driven off the almighty Dark Lord._

_Harry turned toward the house, and held up his hand, palm forward. He sheathed his sword, and held his hands away from his body as he approached the house slowly._

“ _He's gone, sir. May I have a word with you?”_

_The man regarded Harry with suspicion, before nodding curtly, and inviting him onto the front porch. The man unloaded the weapon, and placed it on a table, before sitting down, his body jerking involuntarily every now and then. He eyed Harry as he came upon him, and motioned for him to take the other chair._

“ _How is your family, sir? Any injuries?”_

_The man ran a hand over his face, before answering. “No. At least not anything life threatening. They are quite sore from exposure to that curse of his.” At Harry's perplexed expression, the man smiled a little. “My older sister has a son that went to Hogwarts. We're Muggles all, except for him. He was staying with us the summer, when he discovered he wasn't like the rest of us. Perhaps you remember him? Richard Thompson? Dark hair, tall, played Quidditch? Went to Ravenclaw, graduated in '88. He works at St. Mungo's now, as a first responder.”_

_Harry smiled at the enthusiasm the man clearly showed, when talking about his nephew. Seemed like they were close. “The after effects of curse will last a few hours and should not have caused any lasting harm, if no one was held under it for any extended while. And, no, I'm afraid I don't know your nephew. I started Hogwarts in '91. Have you contacted anybody?”_

“ _Aye. My wife phoned her sister. Help should arrive soon, lad. Any idea who that bastard was?” The farmer asked warily. Harry grimaced, wondering whether or not he should tell him the truth. Deciding it wouldn't hurt, Harry told him the truth._

“ _His name is Riddle. Tom Riddle, better known as Lord Voldemort.”_

_The look on the man's face said it all. He'd obviously heard of Voldemort. Harry assumed the man's nephew had briefed him. Before Harry could say anything more, he heard a faint pop on the other side of the house. He ignited a fireball in his palm and got to his feet. The farmer scrambled to his feet, and reached for his gun._

“ _Someone is here.” Harry whispered. He had taken but one step, when he heard a shout._

“ _Uncle Gerald? You there?” Gerald's shoulders slumped in relief, as a young man walked around the corner, and came to an abrupt halt, when he noticed Harry standing in front of his uncle. He immediately raised his wand at Harry, who let the fireball dissipate slowly._

“ _Ricky?” At the man's nod, Harry moved aside, and walked down the stairs and the man lowered his wand, but kept his guard. “They've all been held under the Cruciatus tonight. I don't know for how long, but I imagine your uncle got the worst of it. You brought Portkeys? Good man. Go, bring them to safety. I'll stand guard until you're all away. They may come back.”_

“ _Death Eaters?” Richard asked unnecessarily. Harry managed not to roll his eyes. Who else would do this?_

“ _The Top Dog, Richard.”_

_The man went white as a sheet. “You-know-who?”_

_Harry sighed. “His name is Tom Riddle, but yes, it was he who attacked this place. He was alone for some reason. Now, hurry, and get your relatives to safety, I've places to be.”_

_Harry waited for every family member to Portkeye out, and when Richard himself had left, Harry Apparated away, and soon found himself in the basement of Gryffindor's stronghold. He was too worked up to sleep, so he decided to meditate in front of the fire, instead._

_A good while later, Harry got to his feet, and stared into the fire, his thoughts on the Burrow. March thirty first. Fred and George's birthday was April first, funnily enough. Thinking on it, Harry wondered if it was possible the twins had become the pranksters that they were simply because of the date of their birth?_

_Feeling very tired by now, Harry walked over to a bench in the room, and dragged it over to the fire, and lay down on it and stared at the ceiling. He needed to make time to check in with Bella and the others. An involuntary shiver ran down his spine as he wondered just how angry they were at him, considering he had not been to see them once, since that evening after the battle at the Lovegood house._

_Resolving to go to Croydon as soon as possible, Harry closed his eyes to go to sleep. Almost as soon as he did, he received a vision of small village called Bullswick, and he realized he had a day or so to get there, before whatever was to happen took place. Harry jerked awake. He sighed, and got to his feet. Time to get moving._

000000

Harry opened his eyes slowly, and noticed he was alone on the expanded sofa. He wasn't alone for long, though, as Andromeda crawled on top of him, and rested her head on his chest. He ignored the slight pain in his ribs; they had healed during the night, but were slightly tender, still. Harry bid her a good morning, and proceeded to stroke her hair fondly. A thought entered his mind, and he halted his ministrations, causing the woman to raise her head. She placed her hands on his chest, and rested her chin on top of them. Harry smiled at her, while Andie gazed into his eyes, wondering what he was thinking.

“What is it?” she asked Harry, whose smile had been replaced with a slight frown. She waited patiently for her lover to answer her, content to bask in his warmth for a while.

“Have you three given any thought, as to how this is going to work? Between the four of us, I mean. I'm afraid one of you, or all of you are going to have to take the lead on this, Andie, because I'm so far out of my depth, I don't know which way is up, and which way is down.”

Andromeda laughed softly before scooting a little further up, to find his lips with her own. She wasn't surprised he was a little troubled with this arrangement, but she and her sisters were quite happy do let it sort itself out for now. After she told Harry so, she got up, and pulled him to his feet. She watched her lover stretch, and bend his body this way and that, noting a few winces, but nothing too troubling, and decided he'd be alright in a day, or so.

He followed her into the kitchen where Bella and Cissy were making breakfast. He accepted a cup of tea, from Bella, which she followed by giving Harry a chaste kiss on the lips. Narcissa contented herself with a smile this time, making certain the bacon did not burn. After a while, they were all sat at the table, chatting about everything and nothing.

“So,” Harry said, and pushed his empty plate away, and crossed his arms on the table. “How do you like working with the Order?” He laughed at their crestfallen looks. “I'm not completely oblivious, you know. I knew you were responsible for protecting at least some of the places I alerted Moody of, these last few weeks. Can't say I was all that surprised, to be honest. You were really unhappy when I left, after that night at The Rook.”

“How did you know?” Bella asked, surprised.

“I recognized your scents.”

“Pardon?” Andromeda asked, incredulously. “Are you saying we stink?”

Harry smiled at her and laughed heartily. “No! You smell like a meadow! It's... I believe it's time, for me to tell you about what happened to me, two years ago.”

The sisters looked exceedingly pleased, at that declaration. Narcissa, in particular, was happy. Harry was just such a conundrum, and she was looking forward to unlocking more of the mystery, that was her lover. A little after breakfast, Harry led his women out of the house, but stopped, sniffing the air. He thought he recognized a familiar scent in the air, and before he could react, he was set upon by a snowy white owl.

“PRECK!” Hedwig barked at her owner, and attacked him again, before flying into a nearby tree, where she stared at him in obvious displeasure. Harry, very nearly overcome with emotion, walked over to a nearby bench, sat down and stared at his first real friend. Tears began falling, and he realized just how much he had missed her. Andie, Bella and Cissy made their way over to Harry, and sat on the bench with him.

“Is everything alright, Harry?” Bella asked, somewhat alarmed by his reaction to the bird. Harry did not answer, and did not take his eyes of the beautiful owl. Harry wiped his eyes, but the tears kept falling.

“Hedwig, come here, girl. Please?” Harry pleaded and raised his arm. The owl somehow managed to look haughty, and proud, before she swept out of the tree and landed on her human's leather clad arm. He brought her up to his face, and they stared into each other's eyes for a long minute.

Finally, she jumped onto his shoulder, cooed softly at him, and nibbled at his earlobe. Harry smiled brilliantly, the happiness literally pulsing out of him. Hedwig let Harry take her in his arms, and stroke her feathers. She revelled in his touch, simply elated to have finally found her human again. Her Harry.

The sisters looked on, completely forgotten as Harry lost himself in the presence of what they knew now was his pet. But the more they watched them, the more they realized the owl – Hedwig, was so much more, than just a pet. In fact, she acted more like a familiar, than anything. The way they interacted with one another, and seemed to understand each other on an almost instinctual level, all but confirmed it. Eventually, though, Harry got up and put her on his shoulder again, and she was quite happy to perch there. He turned to his lovers, and smiled happily.

“Would one of you put up some notice-me-nots, please? Now, I'm going to lower my Occlumency shields for a moment, and I want you three to grasp the location I am thinking of, and Apparate there. I'll go first, and wait for you there.” After confirming they all had successfully found what he wanted them to find, he Apparated away, leaving them behind on the sidewalk.

“That has got to be, one of the most endearing things I have ever witnessed,” Andie said and smiled wistfully at her sisters. “We can only hope he will at some point show us the same level of affection and loyalty.” Bellatrix narrowed her eyes at that, prompting Andie to ask her sister what was wrong. Bella became a little flustered and embarrassed, and mumbled something.

“I just never imagined I'd be jealous of a bloody _bird!_ ” Bella exclaimed, fuming. Her sisters laughed loudly at that, and Apparated away, followed a few minutes later by Bellatrix, once she had gathered herself.

000000

Bella arrived, in what she quickly discovered was a large cave. Standing a few feet from her, were her companions. They were facing a large door, and Harry beckoned for her to join them. He walked up to the door, opened it, and asked them to light the torches on the wall in the foyer. Harry walked over to an owl perch, next to the door and leaned over to it, meaning for Hedwig to go there.

She did not move. Harry nudged her a little with his head and again, she did not move. Harry gently placed his hands on his owl and attempted to put her on the perch but winced when Hedwig sunk her talons into his shoulder. It was quite apparent that Harry's familiar was _not at all_ ready to be separated from her friend, now that they had finally been reunited. Harry turned and smiled sheepishly at his companions, who were all shaking in silent laughter.

“She won't move,” Harry said, and stroked Hedwig's beak fondly, receiving a happy hoot for his troubles.

“You don't say,” Bella said with a grin, and moved over to the pair and regarded the owl with a newfound respect. “Well, Hedwig, I think I rather like you. It takes quite a strong girl to make this blockhead do as he's told. Merlin knows, he never listens to us. The only way I've thought of involves tying him down, but I think it best we do that sort of thing when it's just the two of us. Wouldn't you agree, Harry?”

“If I get to do the same to you, Bella, I'm all for it,” Harry quipped as Hedwig allowed Bellatrix to stroke her feathers. The woman gave Harry an approving look. She did so enjoy it when Harry played along, when she was feeling naughty, and she knew she was going to have her way with him soon.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Narcissa give them an appraising look that was replaced with one of determination. Bella managed to refrain from smiling. While she was manipulating her sister into moving things along with Harry for her own sake, she had no doubt Narcissa would be most appreciative, once the deed was done. Bella almost shivered. Merlin, she hoped Cissy would act quickly.

Andie's eyes roamed the room they were in, coming to a stop on the portrait of a man she knew she was supposed to know from somewhere. She was positive she had seen him on a chocolate frog card sometime, but she was having great difficulty finding the name, in her memories. She noticed Harry had walked over to her, eyes intent on the painting.

“Godric Gryffindor.”

 _Of course!_ Andie resisted the urge to click her tongue in annoyance with herself. That's who he was. Once she had heard the name, she remembered having seen another portrait, in the Headmaster's office at Hogwarts. And he was on every other chocolate frog card... Harry turned around, faced the sisters, and smiled at them.

“This place once belonged to Gryffindor. Now, it belongs to me. He gave it to me, right before I set out to find the Horcruxes. Follow me, and I'll explain,” Harry said, and walked further into the building, the Blacks following in his wake.

As they walked, the sisters lit every torch they could find, and the occasional fireplace. Soon, the place was pleasantly warm. Harry took them on a tour through the 'stronghold' as he called it. He showed them various rooms, the kitchen, the bedrooms, the baths and the massive library. Once there, he showed the sisters the staff he had found, and not been compatible with.

Curious, Bella walked over to it, and picked it up. She was quite surprised when a euphoric sensation slowly worked its way through her system, and left her breathless. Harry stared at her, before a small smile formed on his face.

“Well, I certainly did not expect that. I felt like I was holding the wrong end of a stunning baton, when I grasped it. I assumed it was because I was still bonded to my wand. Apparently that's not it.”

Bella looked at Harry, then back at the staff. She cast a levitating spell on one of the tables in the room, and found that her affinity with the staff was actually greater, than with her wand.

“It's yours if you want it, Bella. I'm certain there's a book about the basics of staff wielding in here, somewhere,” Harry offered, before quitting the library, not waiting for a response. Finally, after an hour or so, Harry brought them down to the basement, where he sat down at the table there, and motioned for his lovers to do the same.

“A few days before my seventeenth birthday, Fawkes, Dumbledore's phoenix familiar appeared at Nr. Four Privet Drive and 'flamed' me away from there. Do you remember that freak storm that hit Britain almost two years ago? That was when it happened. But anyway, I arrived here, and met Gryffindor, only he was in portrait form, the one in the foyer.

I don't want to waste too many words on how, but the portrait was _him_ , not the pale reflections you see around Hogwarts. He decided to make me his apprentice, and two days later, I became like this,” Harry said and indicated his body. He stood up, made his way over to a cabinet, and retrieved an empty potions bottle. He placed it on the table.

“The potion that was stored in this bottle, turned me into what I am. Merlin and Gryffindor brewed it way back when, and infused it with the spirits of a number of animals. In my depression, and in desperate bid to attain some power to reduce the gap between Riddle and myself, I drank the potion, and had to overcome the spirits in order to both keep a hold of my sanity, and to actually receive the gifts Gryffindor promised it would bring.”

Andie rose from her seat, and paced in front of the fireplace, her expression darkening with each passing. Finally, she reached for the bottle, and smashed it on the far wall, before she yanked Harry from his chair, and started screaming at him. This time, Hedwig gave a soft hoot, and flew over to an empty armour rack, and perched there for a first class view of a scolding she was certain her Harry deserved.

“ _What the bloody hell is wrong with you, you insufferable git!? You can't go around drinking thousand year old potions, just because some portrait told you to! Is there no sense of self preservation in that thick skull of yours?! What could possibly have possessed you to do such a thing?!”_

Andie was literally shaking with anger. If Harry thought Tonks had been angry before, her mother was on different level. Her eyes flashed dangerously as she held onto his shirt with both hands, forcing him to stoop a little.

While she was not rethinking her decision to allow herself to fall in love with and be with Harry, she needed to let him know that such foolish acts were not on the table, any longer. She moved her hands from his shirt, and grasped a fistful of hair in both hands, and brought his head down to hers, and kissed him possessively, before she released him and eyed him angrily.

“This must stop, Harry. You cannot-”

“- I agree,” Harry cut in and took her hand and walked her over to the table again, where her sisters were sitting, both wearing a look which told Harry that if Andie had not done what she did, one of them would have, instead.

“So, what did the potion do to you Harry, except the obvious physical changes?” Andie asked, trying to overcome her irritation, and anger toward the young man.

Harry smiled at her, thankful for a way out of the argument, but he did not for a minute think that it would not be revisited, at some later date. “I have gained superhuman strength, reflexes, and senses; sight, hearing, smell, touch. All of it has been greatly enhanced. Though, I quickly learned to limit my hearing,, to what it was before, because I have absolutely no desire to learn whatever everyone else is saying, or discover their secrets. It's just rude.”

Narcissa raised an eyebrow at that. “Just how sensitive is your hearing?”

Harry turned his piercing gaze toward her, and she felt like he was looking into her soul. “I can clearly hear your heartbeats, Cissy. While Andie's is slightly elevated still, after her outburst, you are all very calm. Every being, every individual has a very distinct heartbeat. Family members tend to have similar heartbeats, but yours are near identical. You are very close, after all, despite all the time you spent apart. There's more, but you get the idea.”

Harry looked around the room and smiled softly. “This is where I learned it all, the swordplay, to wield the magic of my arm braces, mastered Occlumency, and learned to meditate properly. I can enter my magical center, and play with it if I have to, but I haven't for a long time, since I managed to stabilize it properly.”

Bellatrix cleared her throat, a little embarrassed. “Did it enhance your magic, too? After all, we fought and I can tell you're extremely powerful. I think I barely would have won our duel at the Snatcher's, had we not been interrupted.”

Harry furrowed his brow at that, but realized Bella was probably correct, she was very powerful and resourceful, not to mention knowledgeable and most likely the best duellist in Britain. Harry rose to his feet, and the sisters did the same. Hedwig flew across the room, and took her place on his shoulder. The group ascended the stairs, and Harry led them to the 'portal' that was the entrance to Gryffindor's study. He approached it, and Hedwig became decidedly uncomfortable. Harry grinned at his familiar, fully aware of how she felt about it. They were very much in tune with one another.

“Perhaps you'd like to perch in the foyer for a while, Hedwig? This thing is rather unpleasant.” His owl hooted at him, and took off. Harry stepped aside, turned to the women and pressed one finger into surface of the painting. “You just step through, and emerge on the other side. I don't like it, so I don't go in here much.” And with that, Harry strode through, and after a moment's hesitation, Andie Bella and Cissy followed.

They found Harry standing on the other side, leaning against a desk, facing a small alcove in the wall opposite and they saw a pedestal holding a sphere of some kind.

“The potion did not enhance my magic as such, but it did condition my body to be able to withstand a very sudden influx of magical energy, which was the main reason for me to actually take the potion, in the first place. Once Gryffindor had taught me all he could within a reasonable time frame, he told me to take the power from that sphere, but the sphere did not infuse me with power, per se. What it did, was force my body to unlock its potential.

What I mean to say is, it hastened my magical maturity, and my mind is stronger. Not on level with Hermione, I think, but certainly better than before. I am now as powerful as I'll ever be. Which I'm sure is somewhat less than Riddle, unfortunately. I'm just lucky he's handicapped at the moment, or I wouldn't have survived the encounter, when I stopped him from murdering a Muggle family, a few days ago.”

Bella perked up at that. “You faced Riddle? How was the bastard?”

“Strong and powerful. Sadistic and evil. You know, the usual. I could tell almost immediately that he was not firing his spells at full power. It's as you say, Bella, there's something wrong with him. He almost keeled over, when he tried to send the killing curse my way. We can't expect that to last, though. He'll find a way to recover. Or at the very least compensate for anything that's holding him back.”

Harry moved to sit in a chair, and motioned for the other three to do so as well. He hung his head for a second, before he raised it again, to look his lovers in the eye.

“Tonks was right and so were you, Andie. I cannot go on like this, the guilt will eventually eat me up, until there's nothing left. Which is why I have decided to ask you three if you'd be willing to accompany me to Hogwarts tomorrow night, to destroy the Diadem.”

The response was immediate, and unanimous. Yes, they were most certainly willing to accompany him to Hogwarts. When they asked Harry, if they needed to conceal their identities, he told them it was their choice, but that he himself wasn't about to, that after that night, he was done hiding. That last bit made the three women extremely happy, Andie in particular, because she knew that for Harry to meet his friends again, would do him a world of good.

“Besides, if I know Ginny, she has the Marauder's map and I'd be surprised if she does not check it several times a day.” Harry grinned at the quizzical looks the women gave him. “The Marauder's map is an almost complete map of Hogwarts, created by my father, Remus, Sirius and the Rat. The best feature on it, is that it shows the current location of anyone inside the castle at any given moment, with their names attached.

It also shows a little of the grounds, and a number of secret tunnels and passageways. I'm also going to assume the Order has made copies by now. I'm going to assume Ginny has the original, and if they have in fact made copies, there's no chance Professor McGonagall doesn't have one. She is Headmistress, after all.”

Narcissa nodded along. “I think it likely that Flitwick and Sprout, and whoever became heads of Slytherin and Gryffindor have their own copies.”

“Agreed,” said Harry.

After a moment of silence, Andie turned to Cissy with an expectant look. “Do you know anyone who can supply us with proper robes?”

Narcissa smiled at her sister. “I know just who to approach for such a thing.” She turned to Harry, and put her hand on his knee. “I am going to need to grab a few galleons from that chest Harry, and take my sisters on an outing in Knockturn Alley.”

Harry handed her his coin purse, and told her it was linked to the chest. “I should go with you. What if you're recognized?”

“We'll be fine, Harry,” Cissy said. “We're about done hiding, aren't we? Besides, if anyone in Knockturn recognizes us, Bella and I have enough of a reputation to protect us from the wretches in that place. Mr. Malfoy's wife, and the Dark Lord's right hand? Even if they know we are _formerly_ those things, I should think the cowards that hide in that disgusting place won't dare do anything. Please do not worry, Harry. We shall return in the afternoon or early evening.”

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Deep in the night, Harry stirred when he heard the door to his room open, and close softly. He recognized Narcissa's scent, coupled with an incredibly alluring fragrance of wildflowers and vanilla, and a touch of something else... Coffee and cedarwood? Whatever it was, it lit his senses on fire. Realizing she was standing at the foot of the bed, Harry opened his eyes, and sat up against the headboard, the sheet falling to his waist, revealing his chiselled chest and abs.

His eyes were intent on Narcissa, as she stood there in her robes, her eyes roaming. She reached up, and released her dark brown hair and it cascaded down to her lower back, slightly messy, which only added to her beauty. Once that was done, she slowly shed her robes, revealing her perfect, naked body to Harry, who swallowed nervously.

“Narcissa, what...”

The cat seemed to have gained possession of Harry's tongue, when Narcissa climbed into the bed, and crawled to him, her movements sensuous and enticing. She straddled his waist, grasped his head, and kissed him with immense passion. Once the kiss ended, she gazed into his eyes, her own smouldering with desire. She drew a shuddering breath and leaned into him. Before Harry could say anything, she started kissing his neck, while grazing her manicured nails along his torso, making him shiver, and break out in goosebumps, despite the warmth in the room.

Narcissa sensed that Harry was very rapidly falling under her spell, and her ministrations became more insistent. From somewhere, she produced her wand, and vanished the sheets, and his boxer briefs. The slightly cold sensation brought a semblance of rationality to Harry, and he took hold of her upper arms, meaning to talk to her, but she was having none of it and kissed him once more, her tongue invading his mouth. They broke apart a minute later, breathless with even greater desire and need.

“Narcissa, I...”

His lover put a finger on his lips, silencing him. “You needn't worry about a thing, my love. I will teach you all you need to know...”


	10. XI

XI

It was late, when Harry woke. He lay there for moment, thinking about the previous night and how much he had enjoyed it. And if he was any judge, the woman who lay next to him, her head resting on his chest, had not exactly hated it, either. He looked down at her when she stirred slightly, and opened her eyes which quickly found his own. She smiled lazily at him and snuggled a little closer, letting out a happy sigh.

Harry responded by gently cradling her to him with the arm she was resting on. It was tingling uncomfortably, due to a slight lack of blood, but the closeness to his lover more than made up for it. At that moment, Harry felt he could take on all of Riddle's forces by himself and emerge from the battle without so much as a scratch.

“Good morning, love,” Narcissa said and placed a kiss on his pectoral muscle.

“Hey. I was wondering if you could help me? Thing is, I'm looking for this woman who came into my room last night. She looked a lot like you, but I can't be sure. You see, the last I saw of her, she wasn't wearing anything, so I'd best check,” Harry said and raised the sheet, and peeked under it. He let it drop, looked at Narcissa and smiled impishly. “That was you?”

Cissy giggled happily into his neck and slapped him on his chest. “Behave, you prat. Now, I'm going to take a bath and you,” she said and placed a chaste kiss on his lips “are going to make brunch. If my sisters haven't, that is.” With that, Narcissa got out of bed and pulled on her robes and quit the room, a happy spring in her step. Harry watched on with a smile on his face, before getting dressed himself.

A few minutes later, he entered the kitchen to find Bellatrix and Andromeda already there, busying themselves with the various foodstuffs. The pair looked up when Harry entered and bade him a good afternoon. He wasn't sure he liked the evil grin that found its way onto Bella's face and braced himself for whatever was coming.

“Next time Harry, please remember to have whichever one of us you're... entertaining put up silencing charms on the room. Andie and I barely got any sleep, last night. I suppose you could use _silencio_ on us, but that's not nearly as much fun.”

Harry blushed a deep red, and looked away, which made Bellatrix very happy. So he wasn't completely impervious to her teasing, after all. While not quite as much fun, as him responding in the same way, it was still deeply satisfying to know she could embarrass him like this. Andie gave her sister a mock look of annoyance, before she walked over to Harry, who had taken a seat at the table. She sat on his lap, and gave him a kiss that seemed to promise things. It made Harry stir in certain places, which only kept the blush on his face longer.

“Bella, leave the Boy-Who-Lived alone,” Andie said flirtatiously. Harry, meaning to thank Andie for the support looked up at her and felt his stomach drop when he saw her sport almost the exact same evil grin her sister did. “I have to wonder, though. After last night, do you suppose we should start calling him the Boy-Who-Loved?” Bella leaned her head back and laughed heartily at their teasing, which Harry was starting to enjoy as well, going by the smile on his face.

Narcissa entered the kitchen, a grin on her face. She was working her damp hair in a long braid. “I thought only Riddle had more than one hyphenated name,” she said and the room exploded in laughter. Narcissa took a seat opposite of Harry and looked on her sister, happily sitting on Harry's lap. An almost audible groan escaped Harry's lips, when Narcissa started grinning in an eerily similar way to her sisters. “Though, it has to be said, Harry's prowess has earned him the name. Several times over, in fact.” Again, Harry blushed and the sisters laughed at their lover's embarrassment.

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Harry stepped into the bath and leaned against it, his eyes closed as he soaked. Tonight, he was going to Hogwarts and he was bringing the others with him. He had thought he'd be more worried, but he was surprisingly calm. Part of it was because he'd already resolved that he was done going it alone, but mostly it was because when the sisters told him they were more than capable of taking care of themselves, they were not boasting. It was a very reassuring fact.

When the door opened, he was not surprised. He moved to the side and allowed Bellatrix to sit beside him in the large bath. After a while, she nudged him and settled behind, then had him lean back, his head resting on her ample bosom. She collected water in her palms and slowly let it run down his body and was glad to feel him relax completely in her arms.

“This is nice,” he said and got a little more comfortable. She agreed, and placed a kiss on his shoulder. Her finger traced a scar there; an eight inch cut that looked fairly deep.

“What happened?”

“Horntail, fourth year, the Tri-Wizard,” mumbled.

She kissed the scar lovingly, but she winced as she let her eyes roam over his body, noting the scars. There were just so many of them, and more yet to come, no doubt.“Can I wash you, Harry? I don't think I'm quite ready for anything more than that yet, but I find myself wanting to touch you, to feel you.”

Harry nodded and moved to a built in seat on one side of the bath, where Bellatrix would have easy access to his body. She reached for a clean cloth and slowly and sensually cleaned his body, her hands meticulous in their work. He found it very enjoyable and, as always found himself soothed by her presence, even if this was the first time they had been quite this close.

“You know,” Bella said as she worked, “in ancient times, women would do this for their men, before battle. They would undress their man, bathe and oil him, then dress him in his armour.”

Harry leaned into her touch, in appreciation of her efforts. “Bella, I want you to know that I will never pressure you into anything. You decide when, and if you want to go any further than this.”

Bella felt a surge of love run through her, at his thoughtful words. She placed the cloth on the floor next to the bath, and wrapped her hands around his chest from behind. She kissed and nibbled at his earlobe and whispered teasingly into his ear; “Oh, you and I will enjoy each other eventually, Harry, and it will be glorious. Not now, but very soon.” She leaned back and pulled him with her and closed her eyes, contentment filling every fibre of her being. It never ceased to amaze her just how much she loved the man resting in her embrace...

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Harry stood in the foyer, waiting for the sisters. It was around eight in the evening and he was somewhat anxious to get going. He wanted to make a little stop in the Forbidden forest before they went to Hogwarts. Finally, they arrived, and Harry was struck speechless, and his jaw nearly became unhinged.

This was what they had gone to buy in Knockturn Alley? All three women were wearing some kind of soft black leather armour, that was laced in the front and, perhaps cut a little lower than was strictly necessary. Or practical. There were a series of runes etched into the leather, but Harry had no idea what they meant, but assumed they were protective in nature. Underneath, they had worn warm black shirts. Tight, black trousers were tucked into tanned leather boots that looked extremely comfortable, and they wore black leather gloves.

To complete the outfit, all three wore hooded cloaks of green that were so dark, they were almost black. The women approached him with pleased smiles, and stopped before him. Harry suddenly felt a little underdressed in his shirt, cargo pants and coat. And the work boots. His incredibly stylish and chic, steel toed boots. The boots were cool. They _were._ Ask anybody...

“Did we break him?” Bellatrix asked impishly.

“I rather think we did, sister,” Narcissa agreed.

“Harry dear, perhaps you should close your mouth. While your impression of a fish is most fetching, it is uncalled for, I think,” Andie said and giggled.

Harry hastily closed his gaping mouth, and tried to think of something to say. They had been having entirely too much fun at his expense that day, so Harry felt he needed to retaliate somehow. Eventually, he landed on a question. “Are you planning on seducing the enemy into submission?” he asked in a deadpan voice.

All three laughed at that, which made Harry a little annoyed. He should have known he'd have to do better than that!

Andie stepped up and kissed him on the lips. “Only you, darling, only you.”

“Anyway, you three look great,” Harry said after recovering. Hedwig gave a pleased hoot in acceptance, before flying of her perch and landing on Harry's shoulder. “We're going to Apparate to the edge of the Forbidden forest, and make for the grounds through there. I know it takes a bit longer, but I want to meet with the centaurs, before going to Hogwarts. Have any of you explored the forest?”

The sisters all shook their heads.

“Well, it'll be OK, I know my way around. Just keep away from Aragog's children and we'll be fine.”

“Aragog?” Bella asked in a very sickeningly sweet voice, that would have made Umbridge jealous. All that was missing was that disgusting _'hem hem'_ Harry was certain would haunt his nightmares, forever.

“Right,” Harry said, feeling they might not be overly happy, once he revealed what he was talking about. He mentally grinned. After today, they had it coming. “Aragog was an Acromantula that lived in the western part of the forest. If we don't wander in that direction, we'll be all right. Maybe. Possibly. Oh, and Fluffy the Cerberus lives there too, we may want to stay clear of him, as well. And Grawp the giant, but he's Hagrid's brother, so he'll probably leave us alone.”

Harry's mental grin widened. This was fun. “At least I hope so. Can't be certain. Of course, these are just the things I know about, and have met or faced myself, so there may be more running about in there. Then again, if we're unlucky, the centaurs may decide to use us as target practice. But, hey, look on the bright side; if that happens, we obviously won't have to worry about any of the others.”

With each resident of the forest he mentioned, more colour seemed to drain from the faces of his lovers, and if looks could kill, he was certain he'd be dead several times over. Harry could not hold in his laughter any longer, and he started laughing, eventually doubling over in stitches as the murderous scowls deepened. They were not best pleased, and a trio of stinging hexes later, Harry stopped laughing, and began rubbing his sore behind. He did not stop smiling, though.

“Consider this payback for today. Anyway, it is not too hard to avoid any of those beasts, and even if we run into Fluffy, he won't be any trouble,” Harry said, and produced a small music box from a pocket. “The reason I want to meet the centaurs, is I wish to give them a copy of the notes on magical beings you and I discussed earlier, Cissy. They need time to go over them, same as the others. Now, are we ready to go?”

Once he was given an affirmative nod by them, Harry reached for Hedwig, who latched onto his shoulder with her talons.

“Ruddy bird,” Harry sighed to the massive entertainment of the three witches. At that moment, it became quite apparent to Harry, that he had absolutely no control over his own life any longer...

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“All right,” Harry said, and turned to face his companions, his back turned to the forest. “We'll stick to the path, to be safe. Stay close, and keep your wands out. Or staff, Bella, if you prefer.”

Apparently, Bellatrix quite liked her new staff, and had practised with it quite a bit since it had accepted her. She seemed quite gifted with it, and she was really happy with the results, given she'd only had it for a little more than a day. As it turned out, it was much more powerful than her wand, which was saying something. It was also very interesting to note that she could use it with such ease, given that she was still bonded with her wand.

Harry turned, and Hedwig took to the skies, and disappeared into the darkness. Harry raised his arms, and reached out with his senses, feeling the familiar rush take over his body, before it receded to a little tingle. He motioned for the ladies to follow and in they went.

The forest was quiet, and all that could be heard were their own footsteps. Harry could tell Bella, Cissy and Andie were pretty nervous being in there, but he reassured them he would hear, and feel anything long before it ever came close enough to do them any harm. That seemed to reassure them, and they walked on in a companionable silence.

They had walked for an hour or so, when they came upon a clearing where Harry knew they would find the centaurs. They entered the clearing to find it empty, but Harry knew they would be there soon enough, since two of the noble beings had been monitoring their presence. Harry sat on a stump, and motioned for the other three to do so as well. He took of his wool cap and ran a hand over his forehead, exposing his scar.

“Bane! Ronan! I know you're there. I need to talk to you. I come in peace, and mean you no harm. I need, but a moment of your time, then we'll be on our way.”

Slowly, the centaurs made their way into the clearing, led by Ronan, Bane and, surprisingly Firenze. The former two had their bows trained on the trio, as did about a dozen others at the edge of the clearing. Harry rose from his seat, and his companions followed suit. Harry slowly reached into a pocket of his coat, and pulled out a rolled up parchment. Firenze approached him, and took the parchment, putting it in a pouch he had tied around his waist.

“The stars told of your coming, but different you appear to my eyes, Harry Potter, and long travelled,” the fair centaur said in his sad voice as he examined the young man standing in front of him. “And you keep interesting company. Two followers of the Dark, and their sister, if I'm not mistaken. I recognize the Black sisters from their class pictures at Hogwarts.”

Bellatrix growled at that, and almost shouted at the centaur. “ _Former_ follower of the Dark, you glorified draft horse! I have aligned myself with Harry, as have my sisters. I will never again, bow to that bastard Riddle!”

Harry placed a hand on Bellatrix's shoulder to calm her down. “There are a number of reasons why these women are here with me, but rest assured, they are fully committed to fighting against the Darkness. Now, I'd like to ask you to look over that parchment I gave you, and send a missive to Professor McGonagall, once you've done so and tell me what you think.

I am a little pressed for time, so I will not go to much into it now, but I plan on starting a movement for change once this war is over. I assume you know I'm fated to battle Tom Riddle?” The Centaurs gave him reluctant nods. “Well, I mean to defeat him and once I have done so, I am going to try and use any influence I gain from that and try and turn our world to better ways.”

Firenze held his gaze on the young man for a long while, before he graced Harry with a small smile. He'd been right then, all those years ago, when he went out of his way, defied his herd, and saved the boy when he faced the Evil One that first time in the forest. And yet, even now, as this young man worked toward the defeat of his, and the world's enemy, Firenze was certain Harry Potter's destiny was only just beginning.

“We shall certainly give this our attention, and hold counsel. It is good that you have taken an interest in the welfare of the other races, Harry Potter. It will certainly help you on your way to unify us. Only together can we possibly weather the storm that is brewing. Now, I believe it is time for you to move on, but first, I will ask you to go on ahead. I have something I need to say to your companions.”

Once Harry had left the clearing, the three Black sisters turned to the centaur, and eyed him quizzically.

“What wanted you with us, master centaur?” Narcissa finally asked.

“What are your plans for Mr. Potter?” the centaur asked.

Narcissa frowned. “There's no plan, except to help Harry survive, and to love and care for him.”

Firenze noted the other two women nodded along with their sister and smiled. “An honest answer, and a notion shared by your sisters, I see. That is good. Mr. Potter will need all the love, and support he can have, but I am afraid it will not be enough to weather the storm that is brewing.”

Bellatrix seemed to take offence at that, but Firenze held up a hand. “Your lover will be approached by the Cat, the Owl, the Swallow and the Chameleon. You three must guide them and make sure they understand and act upon their feelings once they make themselves known. It is absolutely imperative.” And with that the centaur turned around, and went off.

Bella huffed irritably. “Who are those women? I mean, who is the Cat?” Her sisters shrugged. “Well, that's useless, then.”

“Not so, Bellatrix,” Narcissa said. “While it may feel useless, what it does do is help you be alert and perhaps you will notice things you might not have, otherwise. But I must say, I find his warning of a brewing storm alarming. If the storm isn't here yet, I can only conclude it will become worse. Or perhaps a different threat.”

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Harry continued to lead the ladies through the forest, his senses on full alert. They would _not_ be hurt in here, while he was with them, he refused to let it happen. He had caught a whiff of Fluffy earlier, but the cerberus seemed to be headed in the opposite direction. Every now and then, he thought he could sense the arrival of a child of Aragog´s, but nothing came of it.

They were not too far away from the edge of the forest, when Harry felt a rumbling in the earth, coming closer at an alarming speed. He motioned for the others to stop and focused his hearing as much as he could. He was silent for almost a minute, his companions growing restless. Suddenly, they too could hear the noise. They looked back at Harry, who cracked a smile, and visibly relaxed.

“What is it?” Narcissa asked.

Harry just shook his head, and turned to his ladies. “You'll see.”

Bella clicked her tongue in annoyance. “You're sure there wasn't some centaur in that potion of yours, Harry?”

The women turned as one, when the noise became almost deafening, and the beast that was responsible for all that ungodly racket burst from the thicket, leaving the Black women speechless. Harry, however ran toward the newcomer, his joyful eyes gleaming in the headlights of an old friend.

“Ford! Long time no see, mate!” The old Anglia honked weakly in return. Harry walked over to the car, and placed a hand on the bonnet. “So, how's life? Anything interesting happen, since you helped Ron and me escape from Aragog?”

When Harry got no reply, not even a wink from a headlight, he backed up a little, and really looked over the old car. The white vinyl top was ripped and torn in places, one of the rear view mirrors was missing, and it had a flat tyre. Rust was eating at it badly, and and there were holes in the fenders, and the lid of the trunk, as well as each of the rear side panels. It had clearly seen better days.

“Tsk, tsk, Ford, old chap, you are a right mess, plain and simple. I guess Mr. Weasley didn't put any preservation charms on you back when he was tinkering around. Surprising, really. Oh, well.”

He turned to his three companions, who had watched the exchange in complete silence, utterly fascinated. They knew he was on fairly good terms with the centaurs, apparently, and the vampires considered him an ally, all whilst he was making good inroads with the goblins. It made sense, they supposed. If he could make friends with a car, then who couldn't he befriend?

“Ladies, do you think you could do something for my friend here? It is simply dreadful to see him in such a sad state of repair,” Harry said playfully.

Andie, Cissy and Bella giggled at this easygoing side of their lover, and proceeded to perform a multitude of charms, most of which Harry had never heard of, aside from the occasional _Reparo_ and _Scourgify._ A few moments later, the car was in much better shape. Not like new, by any means, but they had managed to mend the tears in the top and any cracked glass and the sisters had also removed the rust.

Unfortunately, the holes eaten into Ford's body by the ferocious rust demons would have to remain, as a _Reparo_ could not fix a gaping hole, especially when the spell did not have anything to replace it with. The foursome waved happily, as the car honked cheerfully, and gave them a wink of his headlights before it drove away into the bowels of the forest once more. Harry turned to face his ladies, who were looking at him with an bemused expression.

“You blithering idiots flew that thing to Hogwarts when you were twelve?” Bellatrix asked incredulously.

“ 'Course!” Harry exclaimed, took a pose, and flexed his muscles playfully. “Crashed it into the Whomping Willow, too. And survived, obviously. Unharmed. Well, mostly. It was Ford who got the worst of it. That huge dent in the bonnet was from that time. And the hole in the roof. Come to think of it, that broken window happened then, as well.”

Andromeda sighed exasperatedly. “I know you and Ronald were blocked from the entrance to nine and three quarters, but why in Merlin's name didn't you simply wait for Molly?”

At that, Harry had the decency to look a little sheepish. “We panicked, and it seemed like a really good idea at the time,” Harry said, and scratched the back of his head.

Narcissa stepped forward, and peered up into Harry's eyes, her arms crossed over her chest. “Just how likely are you to do such a foolish thing again?”

Before Harry could answer, Narcissa's sisters turned to her with incredulous expressions. “Are you barking mad, Cissy?” Bella asked disbelievingly. “I'd be surprised if we go through the night, without him doing something stupid, and life threatening.”

“I agree, Bella,” Andie said. Then she pounced on Harry and wrapped her hands around his neck with a grin. “But I adore how brave he is. Fearless! Resolute!”

Again, before Harry could form any sort of reply, Bella tore her sister from him. “Behave, Andie! There's no need for that. If you want him in your bed, just ask. I'm certain he won't say no.”

Blushing a beet red, Harry hastily turned away from the giggling group of girls, and set out again toward Hogwarts. They were close and they would reach the edge of the grounds in less than half an hour.

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Harry and the women swiftly crossed the Hogwarts grounds, after Harry had made certain Fang and Hagrid were asleep. He had almost been overcome with emotion, seeing Hagrid after so long, but the knowledge that he'd most likely meet his friend the following morning, kept him going. They reached the wall of the castle, around the corner from the doors to the Entrance Hall.

It was a clear night, and Harry stared at the sky and the young man spied his owl heading for the Owlery. Noting the position of the stars in the sky, he undid a button on his shirt, and reached inside for a necklace he was wearing. The three women looked at him, doing that weird thing where they arched their eyebrows in the exact same way, silently asking what that thing around his neck was.

“This is a keystone. Each of the founders had one, according to Gryffindor. His own this fiery ruby, Slytherin's was a brilliant emerald, Ravenclaw's a stunning sapphire and Hufflepuff's a warm and welcoming yellow silimanite. Mind you, I'm quoting him now. Anyway, they grant the wearer unrestricted access to the castle, though men can only enter the girl's dormitories if they're wearing either Rowena's or Hufflepuff's keystones.”

Harry went on. “Now, there are a number of secret tunnels that lead in and out of this castle, but I'd be very surprised to learn that Professor McGonagall has not blocked them, or at least taken measures to limit access. Whatever access points she did not know about before she took over Dumbledore's job, she has learned of by now.”

“That makes sense,” Andie agreed. “Limit access to only one point, to force the enemy onto one location. I'd imagine they have updated the wards to include limits on all kinds of magical transportations, since that incident with the vanishing cabinet. A dreadful oversight, that.”

Harry nodded his accord. “While I don't doubt I could get into the castle unseen, via the Chamber of Secrets, through a charmed grate by the lake, it would be very unpleasant and unnecessary since Gryffindor told me of a secret entrance, only the founders themselves knew about. This time of year, it should be somewhere on the wall beneath the Astronomy tower, and from that particular point, it should transport us to the dungeons, a ways away from the Slytherin common room. It changes its location each month, and with each location, it transports you to a different, secluded location within the castle.”

“A way to enter the castle if it's taken?” Narcissa asked.

He could not resist, he smiled and leaned over and kissed Narcissa and Andromeda passionately. “Yes, exactly.” Bellatrix was pouting a bit, so Harry kissed her as well. Not that it was in any way, a chore, of course. “And it will only open to one of the keystones.”

The foursome made their way along the wall and eventually, Harry stopped at a point at the wall that was not outstanding in any way. Knowing what they did, it seemed rather _too_ plain, somehow. Harry palmed the keystone and for a moment, nothing happened. Then, a small door formed in the face of the wall and silently opened. Harry could at once smell the familiar odour of the dungeons, feel the moisture in the air, and the faint smell of algae on the wall, which he was certain no one else could detect.

“After you, ladies,” Harry said and motioned with his hand. With a smile, the three women entered the castle and once Harry was inside as well, the secret entrance disappeared. They walked on, Harry in the lead, his ears pricked. A few moments later, they passed the Slytherin common room and the three sisters took a long look at the part of the wall, where the revolving door would appear, when given the proper password. Narcissa gave a mild disgusted sound, before putting a palm on the wall. She quickly pulled her hand back, and turned it around to examine her palm carefully, a slight sneer on her face.

“I never liked this place, you know,” Narcissa said coldly. “I told you about what Harry and I discussed, and he is right. The constant backstabbing, and eye gouging... It's a despicable place, fit only for thieves, rogues, traitors and cutthroats. None of us had any friends here. What we had were loose allies, that would turn on you the moment someone offered them something, of greater value. Or they informed us of a plot, expecting money, or favours in return.”

While her sisters said nothing, Harry knew they agreed with Narcissa. Harry motioned for Cissy and the others to come along, and he took Cissy's hand in his own, his thumb rubbing her knuckles softly.

“To be fair, Slytherin house was never supposed to devolve, into something like this,” Harry said. “It has been slowly subverted from its true legacy over the ages, especially in the last hundred years, or so, with the rise of both Grindelwald and Riddle. In fact, only Gryffindor and Hufflepuff seem to still maintain the original vision of each house, and there's no wonder the Lions and Badgers get along so well, for the most part.”

By now, they had reached one of the stairs that led out of the dungeons, and they ascended into the cellar. Harry took a deep whiff of air, and turned to his companions, a small smile on his face.

“I'm hungry. How about you, girls? I was thinking we could visit the kitchens, while we wait for the school to settle for the night.”

“I suppose Harry, but do we have time for that?” Bellatrix asked, though she was quite hungry. The trip through the forest had been a bit more taxing than she had thought it would be. Her sisters were also a bit peckish, which they made known.

“I'd say so. It is after curfew, but not yet midnight, so there should still be teachers about, as well as the Head boy and girl, and let's not forget Filch, or his cat. Also, I have a friend there I wish to see. I'm going to warn you though, he's a tad excitable.”

They rounded a corner, and when they passed a stack of huge oak barrels on the right hand wall, he stopped, and placed a hand on barrel two from the bottom, in the middle of the second row.

“Entrance to the Hufflepuff common room,” Harry said by way of explanation. “Rumour has it that no one outside of Hufflepuff has been in there, since the founding of Hogwarts,” Harry said and smiled impishly. “I can tell you that's not true. It's extremely warm, and comfortable. Very Hufflepuff.”

Down the corridor they continued. Then, the girls noticed something strange. At first, they thought they were seeing things, but after a while, it became clear the castle was reacting to Harry's presence. Every torch he walked by, shined a little brighter, and every fireplace burned just a tad hotter. It was almost as if it was welcoming a long lost lover, or friend. Harry suddenly stopped, and closed his eyes. A slow smile spread out on his face as he took a deep breath.

“She's happy I'm back,” was all Harry said, before he marched on.

Eventually, they found themselves in front of a painting of a bowl of fruit. The sisters had always known the kitchens were in the cellar, but not where, exactly. They watched in amusement, as Harry tickled the pear, which caused it to giggle, and dart out of the frame, before the painting opened, revealing the entrance.

Harry stepped inside, and was at once assaulted by a small creature, who rammed into his feet, and hugged him for all he was worth. Narcissa stared in disbelief at the diminutive house elf, who had served at Malfoy manor for many years, before he had suddenly disappeared at the end of her... _son's_ second year at Hogwarts. She had assumed the poor elf had angered Mr. Malfoy badly enough, that he had not survived his own punishment.

Her former husband was a vile and disgusting man, who enjoyed causing pain and death of lesser beings, but he did not sully his hands with the blood of house elves. Oh no, he made them do it, by ordering them to punish themselves in such a way, that it was impossible for them to survive. She felt the bile threaten to erupt, and she reached for Harry's hand, and squeezed it tightly. She'd been _married_ to that filth, not to mention borne him a son, who was no doubt shaping up to be even worse, if he still lived.

She consoled herself with the knowledge, that she was now involved with an actual _man,_ and how she would relish the chance to throw that in Mr. Malfoy's face, along with the knowledge of just who it was, that was making her so happy. And _satisfied._ While there was nothing she could do about the past, the future was another matter. She smiled mentally, when she considered the looks on the faces of her father and mother, if they ever learned what she was going to do.

“Dobby?” she asked, but her question went unheard, the elf's focus unwavering on her lover.

“Great master Harry Potter sir is back! Dobby is so happy!” Great tears started welling from his huge eyes as he wept, completely overcome with joy, seeing the 'greatest wizard in the world' again. “Dobby knows Harry Potter sir is being OK, but Dobby is not knowing where Harry Potter is!”

Harry returned his friend's hug, with one of his own, though it was much less fervent. “Hello Dobby. I've missed you. I see you're doing fine, and I'm glad. How are things at the castle, these days?”

Dobby managed to gather himself, and stepped back a little. He turned his eyes toward his friend's companions, and backed away a step further when he recognized Narcissa and Bellatrix, and was keen enough to understand Andromeda was their sister. What he did not understand, was why the great Harry Potter was in their company.

Two of them were evil, and the third one... Well, he did know she had been disowned by his former mistress' family. Before he could do anything more, Narcissa knelt in front of him, which took Dobby by surprise. She seemed to be struggling with whatever she was doing, so Dobby stole a glance at Harry, who smiled at him reassuringly.

“Dobby, It's obvious you remember my sister and me. I... I need you to understand it is not easy for me to kneel in front of an elf, but I wish to apologize for any hurt I may have caused you in the past. While I was never physical in my abuse, I am just as guilty as my former husband and later, his son, due to my inaction. I'm trying to do better, and Harry is helping me. Will you accept my apology?”

“Mine too?” Bellatrix asked in a slightly strained voice, as she knelt stiffly beside her sister. The little elf was almost shaking with fright, and darted to hide behind Harry's legs, peeking at the kneeling sisters, his ears drooping, and his eyes the size of saucers.

“You is no longer with Dobby's bad master? You is belonging to Harry Potter?” Dobby asked warily.

“We don't _belong_ to anyone, you harebrained elf!” Bellatrix hissed angrily and Dobby's ears drooped even further, and he burrowed into Harry's legs. Bella took a deep breath to calm herself. “Dobby, we are Harry's lovers, all three of us. We are helping him fight, against the enemy.”

Narcissa sighed at her sister's outburst, though she was oddly happy. Bellatrix was obviously almost healed if her temper was any indication.

“Dobby,” she said softly. “You do not have to answer right now. Think on it, then decide. We will understand if you can't forgive us, but we hope you do.”

Harry smiled at the two sisters, and glanced at Andromeda, who was watching both Bella and Cissy with pride. Harry knew that both of them had to swallow quite a bit of pureblood pride, and arrogance to ask an elf, of all beings, for his forgiveness, and their sister's expression reflected her admiration.

Dobby had the threesome sit down, and brought them some food, which they tore into with gusto. The meat pie was amazing, as always, and the pumpkin juice was cold and refreshing. Again, Harry asked his little friend for news from the castle and quickly learned that, while the atmosphere was heavy and tense and, no Hogsmeade weekends, things weren't that different.

Headmistress McGonagall had started a class of sorts, where students and teachers could talk about the war, and their fears and worries. It had been a great help for everyone to share with other people, and get things of their chests. It was headed by Madame Pomfrey, and led by Ginny Weasley. At the mention of Ginevra, his lovers noticed Harry became a little distant. As Dobby's tale wound down, Harry asked him how Ginny was doing.

“Little miss Wheezy was sad for a long time, after master Harry Potter left. Dobby heard her cry, and not wanting to meet anyone. Now she is not being so sad, and is being friends with Neville. Dobby thinks they is being friends, like Harry Potter sir is being friends with mistress Narcissa.”

Harry leaned back in his chair when he heard that. He noticed the ladies watching him with interest, but he ignored them for a moment. So... Ginny and Neville. Harry had to admit they seemed a good match. In fact they were most likely a better match than he, himself and Ginny would ever have been. At least Neville was not a broody git like he was wont to be. Letting out a deep sigh, Harry got to his feet.

“Well, I'm just glad she found a good man, and Neville is one of the best. Ladies, shall we get going? The patrols ought be over by now, and we should have a clear route to the seventh floor. It was great seeing you, and I promise it won't be so long until next time, Dobby,” Harry said, and hugged his friend again.

000000

Minerva McGonagall sighed tiredly as she entered her private chambers, after another long day. How in Merlin's name had Albus, at his age, managed this job, while also being the Supreme Mugwump of the ICW _and_ the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot? She longed for her former position as Transfiguration teacher, and knew she would ask for her old job back, the minute this war was over. She undid the charm on her hair clip, and let her raven hair fall free.

She approached a mirror on the wall, and began brushing her hair in slow, precise strokes. She was only sixty four, but felt twice that at times and if she looked closely, she could see faint crow's feet starting to form at the corners of her eyes. Not that she cared overly much, she was certainly not wrinkly by any means. She had a good century or so until that began in earnest, but it _was_ a reminder of her mortality.

She was in a rather odd mood this day, and had been for a while. Exams were around the corner, and at this time, each year since '91, she had wondered, just what kind of trouble certain green eyed young man would find himself in. Huffing softly, she walked over to her cabinet, and poured herself a half finger of Ogden's finest. Most women did not drink Firewhiskey, but she was Scottish, and Scots drank scotch.

She picked up the glass, and tipped it toward a picture of two young people in their Gryffindor robes, smiling happily into the camera. Right next to that one, was a picture of an even younger man, joyfully holding the Quidditch cup, his emerald eyes sparkling. Oh, how she loved to watch Harry crush Slytherin on the pitch. It was unprofessional, but in this once instance, she didn't care. Having once been on the end of a very nasty foul which broke her body, and ensured the Slytherins the Cup that same year. Ruddy, cheating snakes...

She had always tried to separate her personal life from her professional one, but Lily and James had always been such special people, and their son even more so. She sat on the sofa, in front of her fire, took a small sip of her whiskey, enjoying the slight burn and wondered if the young man was still among the living.

She unfolded a piece of parchment on the coffee table, and tapped it with her wand. Hogwarts appeared before her, and she carefully scanned the castle with seasoned eyes. This was a nightly ritual for her, one she shared with Filius, Pomona, the new Slytherin and Gryffindor heads Sinistra and Babbling, as well as miss Weasley and Mr. Longbottom.

And Tonks, if she was in the castle. Quite a lot of people, she mused. Before bed, all of them would take a few minutes and examine the castle via the map. It made them all feel a lot safer, to at least check.

While her eyes systematically roamed the very impressive map, she again allowed her thoughts to wander to Harry, as they so often did after she'd had a few sips of old Ogden's. Her eyes darted to a cluster of names near the lower edge of the map, near the kitchens, and she dropped the tumbler in her hand when her earlier musings were answered, before her eyes.

Moving away from the kitchens at a brisk pace, was none other than Harry James Potter, accompanied by... Andromeda Black, Bellatrix Black and Narcissa Black? Minerva stared at the names, in absolute disbelief. The map never lied, but could it be wrong? It was doubtful, but this was a copy of the original. Perhaps Filius and Bathsheda had made a mistake? Rather unlikely, that.

She kept following the group of people, and noticed they moved along the castle with the efficiency of someone who knew every shortcut, every secret pathway, and the movements of every stair. That certainly lent credence to the possibility, that Harry might actually be the one, leading those women about the castle. Not to mention, how he got into the castle unnoticed. She should not have been overly surprised, really. With Albus gone, she doubted there was a person alive, who knew the castle better than Harry Potter.

She had never told anyone, but she had almost caught him many a time, when he was out exploring by himself after curfew, wearing his father's cloak. Especially in his second, and fourth years. She had let it slide, because she knew he needed to be alone sometimes, and no wonder, given his life. The dots finally came to a stop on the seventh floor, where she knew the tapestry featuring Barnabas the Barmy was hanging, and she knew of course what room lay beyond the opposite wall. She quickly grabbed her galleon, that fine invention by Miss Granger, and sent Tonks a message that told her to meet her on the seventh floor.

000000

Andie, Bella and Cissy were extremely impressed. When Harry had told them he knew his way around the castle, better than anyone, that Filch would look like a tourist compared to him, they had figured he was boasting, at least a little. As it turned out, he wasn't boasting at all. He quickly led them through the castle's winding staircases, hidden passages, and shortcuts they had never known about. To be fair, there had been one staircase which Harry had called to him, via the Keystone, so it wasn't _all_ Harry, but close enough.

To avoid Peeves, they took a little detour on the fifth floor, past a plain door which Harry told them was the entrance to Ravenclaw tower. While most Hogwarts students knew in very general terms where in the castle the other houses were, very few knew the exact location of the entrances into all the common rooms. They were all password protected, of course and there was a charm that prevented students from revealing the location of the entrances of their respective houses. That wasn't to say students couldn't discover them on their own, however. The charms were also designed to fail, if the castle was breached.

Eventually, they reached the seventh floor. Harry stopped at the intersection at the top of the stairs, and turned his gaze in the opposite direction, toward the Gryffindor common room. Heaving a long sigh, he made his way toward the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy. They walked along in silence, the sisters understanding the turbulent state of his emotions at the time.

He was grateful to them, and maintained the silence. Until they reached a rarely travelled area of the seventh floor, where Harry stopped in front of a tapestry that pictured a number of trolls, and of course, Barnabas the Barmy.

“We're here,” Harry said and turned to the wall opposite the tapestry. “There's a room here I think we should check first. I wondered if Riddle had stored the diadem in the Chamber of Secrets somewhere, but I doubt it. It would be too easy to figure that one out, to make the connection. Now, in order for this room to appear, you simply pace the floor in front of the tapestry three times while thinking about what you need. My friends, and I call it The Room of Requirement.”

Harry started pacing in front of his old pal Barnabas, all the while thinking he needed to find the lost diadem. Once he'd made the third pass, a door materialized on the wall. It was strangely official looking.

Narcissa and Andie walked up to the door and put their hands on it. “How did you find it, Harry?” Andie asked, and backed away from the door.

“Dobby told me about it a few years ago. Apparently, the elves have their own name for it; 'The Come and go room'”.

Harry approached the door, and opened it warily, not knowing what would greet him on the other side. Whatever he'd been expecting, it certainly wasn't what he discovered once he'd opened the door. It was a massive room with heaps, and heaps of all kinds of junk. Clothes, books and jewellery were strewn haphazardly all over the place. Racks of weapons, and armour lined one wall, and even a few banners and standards hung from the rafters.

Andie was the first one to understand what they were looking at. “Are you telling me Riddle hid the diadem in the Lost and Found?”

“It's brilliant, when you think about it. This room holds a thousand years worth of... things,” Narcissa said. “It will take ages to find it, Harry. _If_ it's even here at all.”

Harry pinched the bridge of his nose, and Bellatrix took his hand in hers, lacing his fingers with her own. Then he looked up, and grinned.

“No, it won't. I'll just ask the room for something to help me find a Horcrux, it should be provided. I'm sorry, ladies, but I'd really rather you weren't here for this. I'd like for you to stand guard outside. These Horcruxes are extremely dangerous, and I do not want to run the risk of it attempting to possess any of you.”

As he expected, they started to object, but he did not relent. This was his fight, and he was finally beginning to see the end of it. In the end though, he only managed to get Andromeda and Narcissa to accept leaving the room, and only after giving into their demands, that Bella go with him. Their hands interlocked, Harry and Bellatrix entered the room, and Harry told the room not to open for anyone, except Narcissa or Andromeda.

Once inside, Harry asked the room for something he could use to look for a Horcrux and a second later, a device appeared in his hand. Remembering some films he'd seen, Harry recognized it as some variation of the thing the Muggles used to detect radiation. Geiger meter, or something like that. Harry grinned, and turned on the device, and set about searching for the soul shard. They walked around the room in silence, the whatsit doing its thing. Harry could feel Bellatrix was sad, and he had noticed a somewhat dejected look form on her face a few times, when she thought he wasn't paying attention.

At one point, they passed a table, on top of which lay a familiar bottle cap necklace. Harry sighed. People were still taking Luna's things, and hiding them? Fuckers. Harry picked it up, and put it in his pocket. He would return it to Luna as soon as possible.

A few minutes later, they found the diadem lying on a table, among all kinds of junk. Harry willed the contraption in his hand to disappear, and turned to Bella, who stared at the diadem with look of utter dismay on her beautiful face. He grasped her hands, and sat them down on a bench he had asked the room to provide. She did not stop looking at the circlet, her eyes almost transfixed. Harry palmed her cheek and she unconsciously leaned into his touch, as he turned her towards him.

“Bella, what's wrong?”

She took a deep, shaking breath. “Merlin, I hate being this weak,” she mumbled. “Harry, we did not ask to come with you, simply to help. We all want to spend as much time with you as possible. You may not have considered that, and we don't blame you. Merlin knows you have enough shit to worry about, but as things stand, with each one of these,” she said and gestured toward the Horcrux with her hand, “you destroy, you move further away from us. After today, we are one step closer to never seeing you again, and it's like knife in the heart.”

Harry let out a deep sigh. “I think about it constantly, Bellatrix. I don't feel any better about it than you do, believe me. I keep asking myself why I let myself fall in love with you three, when I knew what lay in store, but I just can't help myself. Whenever I think of you, or your sisters, I feel so warm and fuzzy, you can't imagine it. When I woke up with Narcissa this morning, I felt better than I ever have, I was on top of the bloody world, and I know I will feel the exact same way with you, and Andie, if we get there. I do not regret anything, Bella and I am glad to be experiencing these emotions with you all.”

Bella smiled at him, before her gaze became a little wistful as she stared at nothing past Harry's shoulder. “I _knew_ I should have pulled you into that broom closet we passed on the fifth floor! Oh, well, I suppose this bench shall have to do,” she said, and straddled his lap, then proceeded to snog him within an inch of his life.

A minute later, Harry stumbled to his feet, his coat lying on the floor, his shirt mostly unbuttoned, and his belt unbuckled. With an inhuman effort of will, Harry had somehow managed to stop them from going further, by insisting their first time together would _not_ take place on a rickety bench in the bloody _lost and found_ room at Hogwarts. And _absolutely_ not in front of a piece of Riddle's soul. No, when they did _that_ , it would be in a bed where they could take their time, and do things properly.

“You're no fun, Harry,” Bella breathed as she fought to regain her breath. “It would have been so wickedly naughty!”

Harry huffed as he threw his coat over the back of the bench, and extended his hand to help her up. As soon as she took it, Harry yanked her up from the bench, and gave her a toe curling kiss.

“Let's get to it,” Harry said, and Bella nodded breathlessly. They started toward the table holding the Horcrux, when Bella suddenly faltered, her face etched in pure, unadulterated fear.

“It's speaking to me, Harry,” she said in a shaking voice. “I can hear it inside my head, promising things, that it will all be alright if I only take the diadem and put it on. It says it can save you!”

Her eyes widened in shock and she took a step toward the cursed thing, her hand reaching for it. Harry grabbed her, and pulled her into an embrace, but she struggled to get free.

“Bella! Look at me, love!” The woman in his arms slowly stopped struggling, and raised her eyes to his. “This is why I did not want you three in here. I know these things try to entice people with the things they desire the most. Can you imagine the trouble, if Cissy and Andie had been here as well? This thing cannot save me, but it will most certainly kill you, should you grab it. Take a deep breath, and calm down.”

Bella did as Harry asked, and after a few shuddering breaths, she had calmed down enough for Harry to let her go. “Merlin, Harry, how can you stand it? It _knew_ things about me, about us.”

Harry shrugged. “I've always been strong willed. I just focus on what I need to do. These things attack me a bit differently than they do others, I've gathered. They try to force all the love out of my soul, to replace it with the darkness, and hatred of Riddle's own. But therein lies the key, Bella. I take the part of the bastard's soul within myself, and expel it and destroy it with my affection, and love for my precious people. I imagine this one should be rather easy, since I've discovered such breathtaking love, since the last time I did this. You three sisters have provided me with everything I need to destroy that thing.”

Harry stepped up to the table and stared at the diadem for a moment, before he turned to his companion once more, his face etched in stone. “When I pick this up, it will immediately attack me. Whatever you do, do not touch me, or the diadem. I have no idea what it looks like from the outside, but grabbing these things hurts like ten bludgers thumping you at once, but you must let whatever happens run its course. Is that clear, Bella?”

She nodded reluctantly.

Harry's eyes hardened. “Is that clear, Bellatrix, or do I have to send you from the room?”

“I'll behave, Harry.”

Steeling himself, Harry picked up the diadem, and fell to his knees at once, his mind almost instantly overcome. The white hot pain that shot through his head was on a completely different level, than before. Harry felt his jaw clench painfully hard, and his eyes clamped shut. An image of his own headstone flashed by, and his head hurt even more.

Still holding the diadem, he fell to the side and curled into a fetal position as his mind was flooded with images of Narcissa's dead, mangled body. Only to be replaced with an image of Andie in a ripped dress, her arms covering her chest in a vain attempt at modesty.

Her vacant eyes were a clear indication of what had happened to her, as was the dark laughter Harry heard echoing in the imaginary room. Finally, Bellatrix appeared, lying in a bathtub, the water red with blood, her wand floating on the surface. One arm hung limply over the edge of the tub, blood dripping down on the floor from her wrist.

Harry mentally sobbed, as the images kept looping around in his mind. This was his fault, his doing. If he hadn't been so weak, if he had just stayed away and not fallen in love with them, these women might have been able to live somewhat happy lives. Sure, they would have had to stay under the Fidelius, but at least they'd have been safe. He would have to leave them. Then, he could take the power the Horcrux offered, and kill all those who opposed him and he could rule over a perfect world where such things never happened to anyone...

NO!

He was not going to leave them! He had accepted he loved them, and that they loved him. It would be cruel, and evil to discard them like that, and he would never do it willingly. He would find a way to remove the Horcrux from his soul, and he would love those women for the rest of his life. Once Riddle had been defeated, he would devote every fibre of his being to making them happy, whatever it took.

An image of Narcissa standing next to him slowly emerged in the painful haze that was his mind, and Bellatrix joined her sister, and finally, Andromeda arrived. All three women embraced Harry at once, whispering their love to him, and Harry felt his heart swell with joy and happiness.

He felt the diadem grow hot in his hands and finally, he felt the foreign presence being forcefully ejected from his mind and he relaxed, rolled onto his back and let go of the purged jewellery. He barely managed to fractionally open his eyes to see Bella's tear streaked face hovering above his. He gave her an exhausted smile, before he faded into oblivion.

000000

Headmistress McGonagall ascended the stairs at almost a run, her mind working furiously, trying to understand why Harry Potter was at Hogwarts, almost two years since he'd last been seen. And why on earth he was accompanied by those three women, of all people. She heard running footsteps behind her, and knew Nymphadora was joining her.

“What is it, Minerva?”

The older woman did not respond, until they had crested the stairs, and started down the corridor that held the Room of Requirements.

“I assume you did not check the map, before you left your quarters, Nymphadora?”

Despite feeling irritated at Minerva's use of her name, the former Auror simply shook her head in denial, her pink hair flowing. “No, I rushed straight out, since you mentioned it was urgent. Why?”

“You'll see,” Minerva said as she rounded the corner, and found a pair of witches pacing anxiously outside the Room of Requirements. The intruders stopped in their tracks, and stared at the newly arrived women.

“Mum! Aunt Narcissa!” Tonks exclaimed, completely forgetting the Headmistress was there. Minerva looked at the young woman, wondering why she wasn't more surprised. “What the bloody hell are you two doing here? Where's Bellatrix?” A sudden thought entered her mind, and her gaze hardened as she turned it onto the door. “Is Harry in there?”

At that, McGonagall glared at Tonks, her mouth a firm line. How long had she known Harry was alive? Had she also known where he was? Whatever had possessed her, to keep such knowledge to herself? But if she knew, then Minerva was fairly certain Remus knew as well. The Headmistress' steely gaze was making Tonks uncomfortable, and she started to fidget, and play with her hair, which had turned from pink curls to lanky and mousy brown. She had never been able to handle McGonagall's disapproving gaze, even as an adult.

“He asked Remus, and me to keep it to ourselves, Minerva. My husband wanted to tell the Order, but I stopped him. You know Harry does not give his trust easily, and just the idea of breaking it makes me want to cry.”

Minerva nodded slowly. She did, in fact, know her former cub had trust issues, and she could not begrudge him that. She liked to think she was one of the few fortunate enough, to be held in his confidence, even if she herself had often felt it was undeserved. His stay with those thrice cursed Muggles weighed heavily on her, and she knew she had to talk to the lad soon, but there were other things more pressing at the moment.

“Andromeda, would you care to enlighten me, as to why you have come to the castle uninvited, in the dead of night? Also, I find it most disturbing that you would bring a _ghalla*_ like your sister Bellatrix, to this place that is full of children.”

Minerva was getting worked up, and sometimes, her thick Scottish brogue would find its way to her tongue, as well as her propensity for foul language, that would emerge in Scottish Gaelic when she was particularly upset, though she had gotten better at curbing those habits, as she got older.

Before Andie got a chance to answer Minerva, the door opened, and Bellatrix stepped through, her face haggard and haunted. She held some kind of an ornament in her hand which McGonagall instantly recognized as Rowena's lost diadem. After centuries of adventurers looking for it all over the world, the bloody thing had been in the castle, the whole while? Her line of thought was interrupted, when she noticed what Bellatrix was levitating behind her.

On a conjured stretcher, floating in the air behind Voldemort's right hand, lay a young man Minerva had never seen before. Or so she believed at first. He was obviously tall, and powerfully built, dark of hair, and on his forehead, she recognized a familiar lightening shaped scar that was bleeding heavily. She heard Andromeda and Narcissa both gasp in dismay at the sight of Harry Potter lying motionless on the stretcher, a long coat draped over him. They both rushed forward, and Andie immediately started waving her wand over the young man.

“He won't wake. I'm no good with diagnostic charms, Andie. What's wrong with him?” Bellatrix asked frantically. Andie was silent for a while as she cast several charms in succession, before she straightened, and turned to her sister, who was starting to panic.

“He's suffering from severe magical exhaustion, Bella. What happened in there?”

“Well, we found the diadem and Harry was right, there was one of those disgusting Horcruxes trapped within. He... He destroyed it, and became like this at the end of it.”

“What is a Horcrux, and why did Harry become like this?” Minerva asked in a quiet voice.

Bella sighed deeply, and revealed to the headmistress what a Horcrux was and that Riddle had made a few. Then, she told Minerva and Tonks just how Harry went about destroying those vile things. At the end, Tonks was in tears, and Minerva barely managed to suppress a sob. Uncharacteristically, she ran a hand through Harry's hair, and stroked his cheek with her knuckles. No one in the vicinity had ever seen the former Transfiguration professor, whose stern demeanour was quite legendary, look so soft and vulnerable.

“Oh, Harry, sweetheart. Your life has never been easy, has it?”

She took a deep breath and collected herself and had her stern visage back in place in the blink of an eye. She conjured a blanket and draped it over Harry to keep him warm and snapped her fingers.

“Dobby!” The excitable house elf appeared with a slight pop, and cried out in alarm, when he noticed Harry on the stretcher.

“Take Mr. Potter to the guest room of my private quarters, and dress him down in the bed.” When Dobby did not move, McGonagall got down to one knee and put one hand on Dobby's small shoulder. “Harry will be fine, he just needs a few day's rest, I believe. Now, go quickly! Make certain no one sees you.” Dobby nodded his head, took hold of the stretcher, and disappeared with a pop.

McGonagall took out her wand, and shot her cat Patronus in the general direction of the Hospital wing. Her friend Poppy was a light sleeper, and would rouse quickly. She did not notice the slight narrowing of Narcissa's eyes as she followed the Patronus. Motioning for the others to follow, Minerva started walking toward her office at a brisk pace.

“I dare not put Mr. Potter in the Hospital wing. There are a few students in this school I cannot trust, and if word was to get out he was there, unable to defend himself, the temptation might prove to be too much for some.”

Bellatrix scowled at that. “If anyone so much as sneezes at my Harry, I will flay them alive,” she snarled viciously.

Minerva raised an eyebrow at that. “Which brings me to your presence here, Bellatrix and Narcissa, another topic I will see us discussing this night, once Poppy has taken a look at Mr. Potter,” the older woman said firmly. The other four women nodded their assent, a bit cowed in the presence of the Headmistress.

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Madam Pomfrey started awake, when a familiar voice echoed throughout her dwellings, and she sat up to find a Patronus she'd seen quite a few times before in her life bouncing around the room. It came to a stop, when it saw Poppy rise from her bed, and spoke in Minerva's voice.

“ _Poppy, we have a situation and it is very urgent. Please make your way to my quarters as soon as you're able.”_

Without hesitation, Poppy donned an acceptable robe, and grabbed a large satchel she always had on hand, in her quarters. This was a school, after all and children could have accidents at all hours of the day, and she might not always have the time to go to her storeroom for her supplies. She then set out for Minerva's office at a quick walk, and soon found herself in front of the gargoyle, that guarded the stairwell which led to the Headmistress's office. Without the prompt of a password, the statue allowed the matron to pass, and she climbed the winding stairs quickly.

What most people didn't know, was that the school's head office was not the apex of those stairs. The staircase seemed to end at a wall, right next to the entrance to the office, but it was in fact a charm, not dissimilar to the one that was used on the barrier between the Muggle world, and the platform of nine and three quarters. Knowing this, and knowing she was allowed entry, Poppy marched right past the entrance to Minerva's office, and through the wall.

Fifteen winding steps later, another door was revealed at the top of the staircase, which Poppy opened, and let herself in. She spotted Minerva and young Nymphadora, but stopped dead in her tracks, when she recognized the other three women in the room. Reminding herself that there was an emergency, she ignored the Black sisters, and eyed McGonagall pointedly, and after a motion from her friend, headed toward the guest room.

Poppy rushed to the bed, and had to take a deep breath to calm herself when she saw the scar on her patient's forehead. Harry was back? She recognized at once, that he had almost completely exhausted his magical reserves, which prompted her to give him a potion to help the body replenish them.

She knew Harry had always had power to spare, but when she waved her wand, she gasped audibly. How in Merlin's name was he so far ahead of where he should be? It was fifteen or twenty years too early for him, to exhibit such potential for magic. She administered a few vials of energy potions, and vitamins, before she allowed herself to relax a little, and set about taking a look at his obviously magically changed body.

To her dismay, she found his back terribly scarred, at least half a dozen badly mended wounds, as well as bones that had been healed adequately by someone skilled, but not as soon as she would have liked. The way the scars on his back had been healed, suggested Nymphadora, which further implied she'd known, at least for some time, that the young man had been alive. Ignoring her irritation, she fingered Harry's strange ears, and the outline of an eye socket, and opened an eye, frowning at the strange pupil.

On impulse, she put a finger inside his upper lip, and gently raised it a fraction, and saw a canine tooth that did not belong to any human. She trailed her fingers along a strange scar on his neck below his ear, and found an identical one on the other side. She could not imagine what they were, but her initial thought of them being scars was most likely incorrect. The edges were much to precise, and the placement on each side was too accurate.

The door opened, and five concerned witches entered the room, led by Narcissa Malfoy. Poppy watched with a raised eyebrows as Mrs. Malfoy quickly made her way over to her patient, her face etched in worry. Now, what was the story there?

“Will he be alright, Madame Pomfrey?” Narcissa asked in a near whisper, as she took a hold of his hand.

“I believe he will sleep for a few days, while his magic replenishes itself, but he will be fine. Not that it should be any of _your_ concern, Narcissa Malfoy!” The matron hissed venomously. The younger witch's face darkened at that.

“Now, see here, Pomfrey! You...” she began, only to be interrupted by a _silencio_ cast by Minerva.

“That's enough!” she said, her stern gaze levelling on the sisters. “I do not think any of us are in the proper state of mind, for a meaningful discussion at the moment. Andromeda, take your sisters, and go home for the night. I expect you here by eight o'clock in the morning, sharp. The Floo will unlock a little before then.”

Bellatrix and Narcissa started objecting, but Minerva was adamant, and Andromeda finally took her sisters by the hand, leading her reluctant siblings, and distressed daughter away. When the door closed, McGonagall walked over to Poppy, who was staring at Harry with a sad frown on her face.

“I remember the first time Harry came to the hospital wing. He was so small, and frail looking. Well, he always did have his father's lithe build, even after he got his growth spurt, but this is... Min, what's happened to his body, and I don't mean all these injuries, but everything else, it's...”

She showed Minerva the canine teeth she'd discovered earlier, as well as his slitted pupils, which prompted the Headmistress to gasp in shock.. “He isn't human any more!”

Poppy shook her head in defeat, and started putting away her supplies. She had seen almost anything the wizarding world had to offer, but this was beyond her. Minerva placed a hand on her shoulder, and and thanked her, then told her to go back to bed, that she would keep an eye on him, and let her know if there was any change.

000000

Once Poppy was gone, Minerva sent messages to all the Weasleys, as well as Moody, and Shacklebolt, and Hestia. Well, most of the Order, really. People she trusted, one and all. She knew the Weasleys would all bring their significant others, so the group she wanted there at nine in the morning would be complete.

Once she was done with all that, she went to the guest room again, and sat down in a chair by Harry's bedside. She took hold of his hand, and let her thumb trace the outlines of the scars that filthy Toad's quill had left behind. Her eyes roamed over what she could see of his body, but she ignored most of the new scars, instead focusing on the ones she had known about. She turned Harry's, hand to let the fingers of her free hand trace the scar Pettigrew had given him on the inside of his right arm, when Riddle had been resurrected.

Oh, how she wanted to sink her claws into that bloody _radan*_. She took a deep breath. She was getting worked up again. As a general rule, Minerva did not allow herself to hate people. Doing so could, and likely would lead to errors in judgement. But she _did_ hate Peter Pettigrew. No, she did not hate him, she _loathed_ him with every fibre of her being. There was not only the fact that he, one of her Lions, had been responsible for James' and Lily's deaths, he had gone even further, and used Harry's own blood to resurrect their murderer.

Her fingers traced both the scar on Harry's shoulder, given to him by the Horntail, as well as the scar he'd gotten when he'd faced the basilisk in his second year. In s _econd year_ he had battled, and killed a monster most wizards thought was but a legend. She shook her head, and eyed herself balefully in a mirror on the wall. Given how things had been at Nr. Four Privet Drive, Harry had always seen the school as his home, and Hogwarts was supposed to be safe. Minerva sighed sadly, and a single tear escaped, and ran down her cheek.

She had failed her young lion so many times, she doubted she would ever be able to look him in the eyes, again. Somehow, the mere thought of Harry hating her, him not wanting to talk to her, or see her ever again, was utterly unbearable.

She took a deep breath, and started to rise from her chair, but when she did, Harry gripped her hand, surprising Minerva, whose eyes shot toward the young man who was still clearly unconscious. Despite herself, she smiled a small smile, and sat back in the chair, allowing herself to soak in the feeling of Harry holding her hand. She conjured a blanket for herself, and set her wand to rouse her just before eight o'clock.

000000

Minerva woke up as the door to the room opened and quickly released Harry's hand, hoping whoever had opened the door had not seen her blatant display of affection. Bellatrix Lestrange peeked inside, before entering with her sisters. Apparently they were early, and not content with waiting to be summoned. They made their way over to the bed, and conjured chairs for themselves, and settled comfortably into them. This was going to be a difficult conversation.

“How is he?” Bellatrix asked in a worried voice and gazed at her lover.

“There's been little change,” Minerva said softly. “He will be fine, all he needs is rest. Now, I'm a little curious as to why Bellatrix Lestrange-”

“Black.”

“Pardon?”

“My name. Bellatrix _Black_. We're all Blacks now, McGonagall. Harry, as the Head of House Black, dissolved my marriage to Lestrange, and Narcissa's to Malfoy. Once that was done, he welcomed us into the family Black, once more.”

Minerva stared at the three women. Harry had done what? While she had known Harry had been Sirius' heir, he had not been raised in magical society, and this was a politically supercharged move. She was certain Harry had not understood the full ramifications of that act, before he put quill to parchment.

Purebloods did not end marriages. It simply wasn't the done thing. Oh, most families did leave a clause in their contracts, but they were idle threats in most cases. Things were always settled somehow, usually to the chagrin of the women involved. Once word of this got out, it would effectively turn the Wizengamot on its head when it would eventually convene, again. She turned a hard gaze on Narcissa.

“Did you have something, to do with this?”

Narcissa smiled at the Headmistress. “No. He did that all on his own. I would imagine it was something my cousin Sirius set into motion, before he died. Harry will have understood the implications, himself. He is extremely sharp,” Narcissa said, and looked at her sleeping lover with pride.

Minerva's eyes narrowed, and she turned them on Bellatrix again. “A change of name, does not equate to a change of heart. Something happened, and both of you will tell me what your intentions are, towards Mr. Potter.”

“He saved all of our lives, Minerva,” Andie said. “You know what happened to Narcissa, and how the vigilante saved her. I assume you've realized by now that Harry, and he are the same person. Harry gave me back my younger sister. Then, a few months later, he gave Bella to us, when he broke a pair of decades old compulsion charms placed upon her, by our father and Riddle. And myself, I was slowly losing a battle against depression. The return of my sisters, and Harry's presence has brought me back.”

Minerva paled as she understood the implications of Andie's words. No wonder Bellatrix had been the way she'd been. The poor woman.

“I am so sorry, Bellatrix. I cannot imagine what you've been through.”

Bella waved away her concerns. “I've come to terms with it. Harry and Andie helped me get there. He's amazing, Professor. I cannot imagine my life without him, any longer. In fact, none of us can.”

Minerva stared at each woman disbelievingly. “You cannot mean...”

“Yes, Minerva,” Andie said. “We are all in love with Harry, and he with us. It happened quickly, and it has taken a fierce hold of us all. None of us understand why, or how, but it is there, and it is as real as anything any of us have ever felt. We have taken steps, to make certain.”

Noticing the time, Minerva got to her feet, and straightened her robes. “The Order will be arriving in my office in a few moments. I need to go prepare. Might I suggest you three stay here? I don't know what will happen, if Bellatrix suddenly appeared in that room. Rest assured, however, this conversation is not over,” Minerva said, and stood up.

“Oh, we have quite a few things we would like to discuss with you, Minerva McGonagall,” Andromeda said coldly, and turned a level gaze upon the Headmistress. “Most of it has to do with Harry, and his life so far, as well as Dumbledore's part in it. Harry has told us of his life, and we are _very_ unhappy with the way Dumbledore seems to have planned Harry's life in almost minute detail, as if he was grooming him for a predetermined end.”

“I'm fairly certain Harry does not realize this yet. Soon, he will tell you and the others of a secret that is not mine to share, but one I think may force you to think differently of Albus Dumbledore,” Narcissa said to a stunned McGonagall, and turned her attention back to Harry.

“What will you tell the Order?” Andie asked.

Collecting herself, Minerva answered. “Aside from you three? Everything I know.”

Andie nodded, and handed Minerva a backpack. “I suppose it's for the best. Here, take this. I believe you have two items in your office, a diary and a ring? I assume you've realized from our conversation yesterday what they are?”

Minerva nodded, then opened the bag, and studied the items, and furrowed her brow. These were all former Horcruxes? Legendary items all. There were a few other items in there, such as a sword, and pair of arm guards. She gave the sisters a quick nod, and stalked out of the room. Once the door closed, Narcissa turned toward Bella with a strange expression on her face.

“What?” Bella asked.

“I noticed something interesting last night. Minerva's Patronus is a cat, and her Animagus form is a cat as well. And you know she was also the head of Gryffindor for many years, and she cares for Harry a great deal.”

“Oh, Merlin's saggy balls,” Bella said in a defeated voice. “You don't think _she's_ 'the Cat', do you?”

“You know, that wouldn't surprise me at all,” Andie said in a mirthful voice. “She's even more protective of Harry, than we are.”

While Cissy chuckled, Bella sighed wearily. She was scared of exactly two people in the world. Tom Riddle and Minerva McGonagall. She let her gaze rise to the ceiling. Somewhere, someone was having way too much fun with all this...

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Ginny Weasley was silently cursing Tonks, while the bubbly young woman led her down the stairs of the girls dormitories, and into the common room. It was a Sunday, and she had planned to have a little lie in. She followed Tonks out of the common room, and into the hall to find Neville and Luna standing there, waiting for them. She and her... boyfriend? eyed each other, before falling in with Tonks. Luna walked alone, humming quietly to herself, seemingly unconcerned.

“What's going on,” Ginny asked as they made their way to Professor McGonagall's office. “Why does the Headmistress need to see us?”

Tonks glanced at her as she slowed down a little and allowed them to walk beside her. “Something happened last night that affects all of us and I don't think we should talk about it here, out in the open.”

“That's quite serious,” Neville remarked as they marched on. “Has she summoned all of the 'club', then?”

Ginny gave Tonks an attentive look. “You know what this is about, Dora.”

“Of course I know, midget. I'm an adult,” Tonks said, and took on a mock air of importance. Which deflated the moment she saw the look of extreme scepticism on her friend's faces. “I'm _mostly_ an adult?”

The three friends laughed heartily, and Tonks was glad she was able to lighten their moods a little, since this meeting was going to be bloody hard on everyone. It was going to be chuck full of atom bombs, going off in quick succession.

They reached the gargoyle, Tonks uttered the password, and led the other three up the stairs. They entered the office, and found it almost full of people. All of them were comfortable, however, since the room was charmed to expand whenever it was crowded.

Ginny and Neville went to join the Weasleys, and Hermione. Fred and George were standing there, looking unusually serious, their arms holding their betrothed, Alicia Spinnet, and Angelina Johnson. Ginny had to raise an eyebrow at that. The twins were _never_ this serious. To Ginny's surprise, Lee Jordan was also there, and Katie Bell, his girlfriend was beside him.

Hestia, Kingsley, and a few others were there as well. McGonagall had clearly called every senior member of the Order here. The Floo flashed green, and her brother Bill came through, alone, looking like he'd not slept much. Ginny frowned at that. Bill, and Fleur had been having problems, and while her brother had refused to elaborate on what happened, it was clear whatever it was he and Fleur were dealing with, was getting worse.

“Morning, everyone,” Bill said, and moved over to stand with Ginny.

“Where's Fleur?” she asked her brother in a whisper.

“She's... staying with a friend. We had an epic row a few days ago, and she has not been returning my Floo calls. Until this morning, that is.”

Ginny sighed, and leaned over to Hermione, and asked her if she knew what was going on, why everyone was so grim, but her friend shook her head. Neville eyed the bushy haired witch with interest.

“No, but apparently it's serious enough that professor McGonagall is demanding an oath of secrecy. On our magic,” Hermione said.

Ginny stared at Hermione, and Neville let out a low whistle. Oaths on one's magic were never to be taken lightly. Break it, and at best, you lost your magic, and at worst, you lost your life. The Floo flashed once again, and the most gorgeous woman any person in the room had ever seen, emerged from the fireplace, looking completely immaculate.

Every woman in the room became just a little irritated, at that. No one came out of the Floo looking that perfect, it simply was not possible. Ginny noticed Fleur did not come, and stand with Bill, but instead, went and stood by herself, a little out of the way. McGonagall cleared her throat, and tapped her finger on the table. She was clearly nervous, which set everyone on edge. McGonagall didn't get visibly nervous.

“Good morning. Now that we are all here, I would like to officially call this meeting to order. Alastor could not be here this morning. Severus sent him a message, and he went to investigate. Now, as you are all aware of by now, I am going to ask all of you to take an oath of secrecy on your magic. Once it's done, I'll need everyone to place their wands in this box. Some people in here may become... emotional during this discussion.”

One by one, the people in the room performed the oath, after which every person did a _lumos_ in order to prove they'd been sincere. Once everyone else was done, Minerva herself finished the sequence, and placed her wand in the box and closed it carefully. She let her eyes roam the room for a minute, before taking a deep, steadying breath.

“Mr. Potter has returned...”

* _Rhadan: Rat_

_*Ghalla: Bitch_


	11. XII

XII

The silence was deafening, and Ginny felt her heart clench into a fist. She grabbed Neville's hand tightly, who squeezed hers in turn. Her mother's hand was covering her mouth, her eyes wide in shock. Hermione was almost in tears, holding onto an ashen faced Ron for dear life. The former Gryffindor chasers were little better of than Hermione.

Harry had always been like somewhat of a little brother to those three. In fact, every person in the room was in a similar state, except Luna, who was bouncing happily on the balls of her bare feet. Remus, and Tonks were also very calm, so Ginny assumed Professor McGonagall had to have told them earlier.

“Is he alright?” Molly asked with some urgency. Minerva nodded, and gave her a reassuring smile.

“He's resting in the guest room in my private quarters, Molly. He's recovering from severe magical exhaustion, but Poppy has assured me he'll be fine.”

Molly let out a relieved sigh. “Can I...Can _we_ see him, Minerva?”

“Not at this moment, I'm afraid. Poppy gave strict orders that he was to rest.”

“What was he doing here?” Ginny asked.

Minerva took a deep breath, and opened a drawer in her desk, and placed a very familiar diary along with a ring with a cracked stone on the table. Then she opened a backpack, and removed from it a locket, a cup and a diadem. She placed the items on the table, one after another, and finally tapped the diadem with a finger.

“He was looking for this.”

Hermione gasped. “Ravenclaw's lost diadem!”

“Indeed, Miss Granger. Mr. Potter's been scouring the country for these items for the last year, or so.”

“He goes missing for two years, and decides to go treasure hunting?” Ron asked incredulously.

Professor McGonagall's nostrils flared, and her lips went so thin, they almost disappeared. A sure sign she was very angry. Ron noticed this, and hid behind Hermione, who glared angrily at her boyfriend.

“So, what's so special about those things, that Harry felt he needed to find them,” Hermione asked, and turned her attention back to McGonagall.

“All these things once held a piece of Riddle's soul, a Horcrux, Miss Granger. Mr. Potter has been searching for them, in order to destroy them.”

At first glance, every person in the room had a lost look on their faces, and Hermione was somewhat relieved to realize she was not the only one who did not know what a Horcrux was. Then, she noticed Bill had turned ashen faced, a look of utter revulsion on his face. After that, she watched as Fleur Delacour stomped toward the desk, her fists clenched, a look of holy fury on her flawless face.

“ _Ce putain de bâtard!”_ She exclaimed, and stared at the items on the desktop, her eyes smouldering. By then, every male in the room (and Tonks) was becoming glassy eyed as the Veela's self control eroded with every passing breath. Ginny noticed her brother Bill was among the men, who were losing their grip on reality. Oh. She now understood the root of her brother's problems, with his betrothed. Ginny shook her head. Poor Fleur.

“Indeed, Miss Delacour,” McGonagall said, and reached for Fleur's hand, in an effort to calm her down. The French witch took a few deep breaths, but in the end, she had to excuse herself, and leave the room.

“Would someone please explain to me what's going on,” Ron pleaded once he'd recovered from Fleur's outburst.

“A Horcrux,” Bill began, and approached the desk, “is a soul anchor. If what the professor said is true, then all these things contained a piece of Tom Riddle's soul. As long as one of these things exists, Riddle cannot truly die. It's most likely the reason why he didn't die, when the A.K backfired when he tried to kill Harry all those years ago.”

The atmosphere in the room was so thick and heavy, it seemed as if one could cut through it with a knife, and a few people shuddered at the thought of an immortal dark lord. Hermione made her way up to the table and, aside from McGonagall, had the table all to herself. No one wanted to be closer to those things than they had to. Hermione examined each of the items carefully in turn, before looking at her former teacher with concern.

“You said Harry destroyed them? I think we can assume he destroyed the Horcrux within the diary, using the basilisk fang when he confronted Riddle's shadow in the Chamber of Secrets. Professor Dumbledore has to have taken care of the ring, since it was in the desk. The rest was Harry's doing? Both the diary, and ring have been physically destroyed, while the rest are in perfect condition. Why?”

Minerva simply shook her head. “I have no answers for you, Miss Granger.”

Bill cleared his throat, and warily approached the desk. “According to what Gringotts knows, items containing Horcruxes are virtually impervious to damage.”

Hermione, and McGonagall gave Bill and apprehensive look at that, and studied the items some more. Finally, Hermione huffed in annoyance.

“Well, William, how do you destroy a Horcrux without destroying the item itself, then?”

“You can't,” came a man's voice from the door.

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Professor McGonagall had been gone less than ten minutes, when the three gathered women heard a low grunt from the bed. As one, Bella, Cissy and Andie rushed to the bed, and noticed the Keystone was pulsing slowly with a glowing light. Harry shuddered slightly, and the glow from the stone around his neck grew brighter. The women watched the proceedings carefully, but decided against intervening, since they were all certain whatever was happening was actually helping Harry, and not harming him. Finally, with a long drawn out moan, their lover opened his eyes slowly. Narcissa placed a hand on Harry's forehead, and smiled at him.

“Welcome back, love.”

“How are you feeling, Harry?” Bellatrix asked as Andromeda walked over with a glass of water. She handed it to Harry, who took a small sip, before Andie took it and placed it on the bedside table. Harry sat up in the bed, and Narcissa propped up the pillow behind him.

“I'm fine. How are you three?”

Shaking her head, Bella sat on the bed, and took one of his hands in hers. “We're alright, Harry. We're more worried about you. You never said it was this bad, you idiot!”

Harry just squeezed her hand a bit tighter, which seemed to relax her somewhat. “It's never been this bad. I mean, I was dreadfully tired after I destroyed the Horcrux in the cup, but I'd also just been through a battle with Fenrir Greyback, and lost a lot of blood. I'm not sure why it affected me so badly, this time. Perhaps it's because, before, I had resigned myself to a one way trip through the Veil once Nagini had been taken care of. Then you three happened, and I realize I must've been wavering in my convictions.”

Bellatrix smiled a small smile. “Not so intent on leaving us behind any more, Harry?”

“No, not any longer. The Horcrux showed me some images when it tried to possess me, and they were horrible. I don't know if they were some kind of premonitions, but I will do almost anything to prevent them from ever coming true.”

Everyone was silent for a while, until Harry looked around, taking in the room he was in and every detail. His nostrils flared as he scented the air. He recognized Professor McGonagall's scent, but he wasn't quite sure where he was.

“What room is this?”

“This is the guest room of the Headmistress' quarters, Harry. McGonagall did not feel safe to let you rest in the medical wing. It's less secure, and I agree with her,” Andromeda said, and passed him the glass again. “Are you hungry?”

“No appetite Andie. Thank you for asking. I suppose Professor McGonagall has summoned the Order by now?”

“Yes,” Narcissa said. “She told us she was going to tell them everything she knows, Harry.”

Harry released a deep breath, and swung his feet over the edge of the bed as Bella rose to her feet. He put on the cargo pants, and a button up long sleeve t-shirt Andie had brought him. Bella let out a disappointed sigh, and Harry grinned at her, before reaching for Luna's bottle cap necklace that lay on the bed stand, and put it in a pocket.

“There'll be time to do all sorts of things later, Bella. Right now, though, I think we should go and join the others. They're in Professor McGonagall's office?”

At their nods, Harry downed the rest of his water, and led the three women out of the Headmistress' quarters, and into the stairway. He descended slowly, picking up yet another familiar scent. Eventually, he found Fleur sitting on one of the steps, her head in her hands. She was taking deep breaths, and Harry could hear the heart beat wildly in her chest. She was clearly quite distraught. She did not seem to have noticed them coming down the stairs. Harry sat down next to her.

“Hello, Fleur. Are you alright?”

The silvery blonde Veela gasped, and her head turned so fast, Harry almost heard the cartilage in her neck pop. She stared at him, her azure blue eyes wide with surprise. She shot a quick glance at the three women accompanying him, before her eyes found him again. She tentatively reached out a hand, and brushed his cheek with her fingertips, as if she could not believe he was there.

“Harry?”

The man in question smiled gently at his friend, and brought her into a hug. He felt her tense for a moment, before she relaxed into his embrace. While he and the Beuxbatons champion had never been particularly close, they had entered into a friendship after he'd rescued Gabrielle from the Black Lake during the second task of the Tri-Wizard.

Afer that, she'd taken to occasionally join Harry and Hermione for meals when Ron was running a little late, and wasn't around to drool at the sight of her. Harry released Fleur, and she backed away a little.

“Why are you out here, Fleur? Isn't everyone else downstairs?”

She sighed, and got to her feet. Once Harry had done so as well, she motioned toward the Headmistress' office, and glared at the door.

“Minerva was telling us about the things you are hunting, and I got so angry at that murdering _bâtard_ , that I lost control, and you know what happens when I do that, even if you're immune to it.”

Harry frowned. “I do. I'm sorry Fleur.”

She smiled at him. “I know you are. It's alright, Harry, I'm fine now. I wonder if you are, though,” Fleur said, and arched an eyebrow toward his companions. “Andromeda is a good woman, but I must admit that Bellatrix Lestrange, and Narcissa Malfoy are the last people I'd imagine you travelling with.”

Harry smiled at her, and made to walk on. “There are things you don't know. Let's go down there, and I'll tell everyone what's going on. Some of it, anyway.”

Harry walked up to the door, and put a hand on it. He did not hear anything, and assumed McGonagall had put up privacy charms. The door was unlocked, though and Harry pushed it open slowly. Completely focused on the Horcruxes, and Hermione, none of the people inside noticed the door open.

“Well, William, how do you destroy a Horcrux without destroying the item itself, then?” Hermione asked, her tone clearly annoyed.

Harry stepped inside, and answered his friend. “You can't.”

At his words, every person in the room turned their eyes toward the door and froze. There, most saw a man they'd never seen before, but Hermione recognized Harry instantly. Sure, he might be six foot five, and made of muscle, and he'd be unrecognizable to almost everyone else, but Hermione was his best friend, and she knew her friend. There was the scar, of course, but she had stopped seeing it a long time ago. No, it was the green eyes.

“You look a little flustered, Hermione. Are you alright?”

Hermione Granger sped across the room, and launched herself into the arms of her friend. Harry wrapped his arms around her, and whispered soothing words in her ear as she briefly lost control. A moment later, she had collected herself, and Harry released her, only to be approached by Ron. Ron clasped a hand on Harry's shoulder and grinned at him, a grin Harry found didn't reach his friends' eyes.

“You know how to make an entrance, Harry!”

Harry chuckled. “Well, you know...”

He didn't get further than that, because Molly Weasley gathered him in a rib crushing hug. He returned the it wholeheartedly, very thankful for his new body; he'd likely not have survived otherwise. The Weasley matron reluctantly let go, and stepped back to eye him critically.

“You're awfully pale, dear. Are you sure you should be up and about yet? Minerva told us you were to rest, on Poppy's orders.” She looked him up and down. “Oh, you've grown quite a bit, haven't you? Oh, my word, what have you done to your ears? And your eyes!”

Harry smiled at Mrs. Weasley, before making his way around the room, and greeting everyone. Tonks tried to stay mad at him, but her facade didn't last, and she hugged him, and told him to stop being an idiot. Remus simply smiled at him, and welcomed him home. On it went, until Harry approached Neville and Ginny, who was still holding Neville's hand, her knuckles white.

“Hey, Neville,” Harry said and shook his hand. “You alright?”

Neville, forced a small smile. “Hello, Harry. It's good to see you, mate. You look... different.”

“I suppose I do,” Harry said, and turned to Ginny feeling incredibly awkward.

“Gin.”

“Harry,” she said coldly, and it made Harry wince. It wasn't anything he hadn't expected, though.

“Talk later?”

“Sure, we can do that,” she said in that same cold tone of voice.

“Thank you,” Harry said gratefully.

After that, he approached McGonagall, who rose from her chair, and hugged her Lion fiercely, whispering in his ear, just how glad she was to have him back and Harry assured her that he was just as glad to be back. He released her, and felt Luna walk up to them. He turned toward her, and pulled the necklace from his pocket. Her eyes widened when she recognized the item in his hand, and a grateful smile found it's way to her face.

“Hey, Luna. I found this yesterday, and thought you might want it back. I suppose the same Nargles who seem to keep hiding your things, took it as well?”

Luna nodded, and Harry put it around her neck, and she tucked it beneath her sweater. She regarded Harry for a moment, before she threw her arms around him, and sobbed into his chest. Harry enveloped her in a protective embrace, and she started crying in earnest, leaving almost everyone in the room a bit surprised, except the four witches that had entered the room unnoticed. The Black sisters knew their man, and Fleur was a Veela, and thus very much in tune with people's emotional state.

What surprised the rest of those gathered, was Luna's reaction to Harry. It had been a while since her father died, and she had not cried even once. She'd simply told everyone her father had finally joined her mother, and she was quite happy for him, and a bit envious, even. They saw Harry whispering something, but only the Headmistress was close enough, to actually hear what he was saying.

“I'm so sorry, Luna. It's all my fault. I tried to save him, but I was to late. If I'd been a little quicker, or brought someone with me...”

Minerva's heart was breaking for the young man, but she was also extremely frustrated with him. What happened to Mr. Lovegood certainly wasn't his fault. She was about to berate him for it, but Luna took matters into her own hands. She grabbed Harry's head with both hands, and stared him in the eye. Her gaze was a bit watery, but it was steady and strong, the usual dreamy look completely absent.

“There will be none of that, Harry James Potter! I know you did everything you could to help my father. You always do, whenever someone needs your help. With time, I will be fine. At least I know the men who did this won't destroy any more families.” Harry nodded gratefully, and turned towards the assembly.

“I know you're wondering where I've been over the last two years, and I had planned on telling you all about it, but seeing as I've told this story a few times already, I was kind of hoping we could use Dumbledore's Pensieve that sits in the cabinet in the corner.”

Harry approached the closet, grabbed the Pensieve, and brought it to McGonagall's desk. He was just about to ask her to help him remove the memories he wanted everyone to look at, when he heard an enraged growl.

“What the hell is that bitch doing here?” Neville snarled, and reached for his wand, only to find it wasn't there. That didn't stop him, though, and he was set to march upon Bellatrix when Harry intercepted his friend with a stern look. Neville wasn't the only one who was angry, however, and Harry knew the situation was quite dangerous, and needed to be dealt with quickly.

“Neville, everyone, please listen to me. I know most of you hate Bellatrix, and at the very least mistrust Narcissa, and with good reason. I'm going to ask you to please watch the memories I'll deposit in the Pensieve, and you'll know why they are here.”

Neville stared at Harry, and seemed unwilling to let it go, until Ginny took a hold of his arm. “Come on, Neville, please calm down. If Bellatrix is here with Harry, there has to be a reason.”

Once the confrontation was over, or perhaps it had only be delayed, Harry walked over to Bellatrix and Narcissa and talked with them for a few moments. He returned to the Pensieve, and brought several memories to the forefront of his mind, asking McGonagall to extract them, and place them into the milky substance in the viewing tool.

“In order for everyone to understand why the Black sisters are here, I think we should start by viewing the memories Professor McGonagall extracted from me just now. I would prefer we keep the questions until after it's done,” Harry said and gave Minerva the word.

“Since there are quite a few of us, I am going to activate a series of runes along the rim of the Pensieve, and have it project the memories off the surface so that we can all view them at once.”

Minerva, who had removed her wand from the box earlier, during Harry and Neville's stand off, tapped the appropriate runes and a ghostly image of Malfoy manor appeared above the surface of the apparatus. The Pensieve was showing the memory through Harry's eyes, and it was a little strange to see things like that. Soon, they were listening to Narcissa's lamentations, and out of the corner of his eye, Harry noticed Narcissa give him an unreadable look while Bella and Andie looked amused.

Next, they were seeing Harry rescue Snape and Malfoy, and the destruction of the Horcrux in Slytherin's locket. The subsequent skirmish had those present gasping and staring at Harry's display of magic, and the women in the room were impressed with Harry for carrying Narcissa out of danger. They were even more impressed with the way he brought her down from her perch. (Harry had skipped their 'moment' in the woods). Molly Weasley was proud of her surrogate son, and felt especially satisfied to see that haughty woman finally get what was coming to her.

Next, they were treated to the highlights of the battle against the Snatchers, and Harry and Bella's duel afterwards. Nevilla commented that he had hardly seen anything that was likely to change his mind, about the woman who tortured his parents into insanity. A gentle squeeze on his arm from Ginny calmed him down again.

Next, they found themselves at a meeting at Gringotts, where the truth about Bellatrix was revealed, how she had been controlled by Lestrange and Riddle both. He showed them the conversation on the park bench, and his conversation with Narcissa and Andromeda that same evening. More than a few eyebrows were raised when people recognized the house in which the conversation had taken place, and the looks Tonks and Lupin received then were less than flattering. Harry knew it would take time, but he hoped both Bella and Cissy would be openly accepted among his friends.

He did have to wonder, though, just how people would react once they learned of his relationship with these women. How would Ginny react? He ended things with her to keep her safe, then took up with not one, but three women. He had a feeling their conversation was bound to be heated. Ginny was, after all, rather a fiery one, and Harry just hoped Neville was ready for her.

Then, just as Harry was preparing to extract more memories, the Floo flashed green, and Alastor Moody stepped out of the fireplace, just as a cracking sound came from the fireplace. He was carrying the head of a large snake which Harry recognized immediately.

Nagini? Moody was carrying Nagini's head in his hand? He had obviously been through a battle, and the man looked quite worse for wear, which was a bit of an achievement, for someone like Moody.

Moody threw the head of the snake onto the table, spreading blood everywhere, much to Minerva's annoyance, whose lips narrowed dangerously. “Are ye aff yer heid, Alastor? I should scalp yer wee behind!”

Moody merely laughed uproariously, before he turned toward Harry, and gave him a nod. “One fewer of those things for you to deal with, laddie. But we have a wee problem. Riddle's scum has arrived in Hogsmeade. Old Snakey was not best pleased with the loss of his pet. Unfortunately, he's got Snape.”

“Bloody Floo's locked,” Ron said and cursed.

“Aye, lad. I told Rosie to lock it behind me just in case. Is everyone ready? I expect it to be an all out attack.”

Harry's brow furrowed, and his eyes hardened. The bastard was going to attack Hogsmeade with all he had? Fine, he'd go out, and meet him head on. He reached into his Bag, pulled out the arm braces, and laced them on. He strapped the sword onto his back, and placed a few throwing knives into the baldric. Once that was done, he turned to McGongall, and asked her if she could allow for Apparition within the school grounds.

“Not fast enough, I'm afraid, Mr. Potter. It takes time to access the ward scheme. Time, I believe we don't have,” she said flatly, clearly unhappy.

Harry nodded at her, and grabbed the Keystone around his neck. “I'm afraid I cannot take anyone with me, this stone only allows one person to Apparate. Please go to the front gates as quickly as possible, and Apparate to the outskirts of Hogsmeade, at both gates. We will want to cover as much area as possible. Be sure to take Hagrid with you. And Grawp, if possible. I'm fairly certain they'll have giants there, and I really doubt I'll be able to take them down alone this time. The last time I was lucky to be only slightly injured,” Harry said, and ignored the looks sent his way by the Blacks in the room.

“Once you get there, and this is important; _do not kill Riddle._ Understand? Even if you have a clear shot. There's one more Horcrux left. I know it may take some time for the bastard to return to life, but him disappearing, and us not knowing where he is, is worse than having him around. I need you all to trust me on this, and do as I've asked. I promise I will explain everything afterwards.”

Before Harry could Apparate away, his women approached him. Narcissa grabbed his hand, and gazed into his eyes. “Be careful, my love. Don't do anything foolish, like get yourself killed. I think Bella and Andie might be rather cross, if you did that.”

Harry nodded, and smiled at her, before he decided to toss all caution to the wind, and kissed her with a burning passion that left Cissy breathless. He winked at the other two, and disappeared without a sound. No _pop_ or twisting of the body; he simply wasn't there any longer. The room was completely silent for a few breaths, before Fleur rushed out of the room, and sprinted down the stairs, followed closely by Narcissa, and Andromeda, who had grabbed the Bag, and stuffed the Horcruxes, and the head of the snake in there.

Tonks and Remus were not far behind. Minerva sent Poppy a Patronus, informing her that she would likely be receiving quite a few patients after a while, and another to Hagrid, asking him to do as Harry had requested. Then, she rushed out of the room as well.

Her Lion was going to battle the enemy and this time, she _would_ be there for him. As she ran out the door, she idly wondered when she had come to view Harry as _her_ Lion, and not _one of_ her lions. Filing it away for later, she caught up with Andromeda, who was lagging a little behind her sisters and Fleur.

Back in the room, people were beginning to stir after the display Harry, and Narcissa put on. Ginny's face was a mask, but anyone that knew her realized she was in a rage. Her mother, and father wore expressions of complete shock, and Hermione was little better. Most weren't, in fact. Ron had not been struck speechless, however.

“Did not see that one coming,” he said, and scratched the back of his head.

That brought the room alive, and the rest of the Order got moving. Soon, the Headmistress' office was empty, except for Ginny and Luna, who were not allowed to join them. They walked down along the corridors, and noticed more professors rushing toward their stations. Classes had been dismissed for the day, and the prefects were moving the students to the Great Hall, where they would be locked in with the heads of houses.

Ginny and Luna joined their fellow students, and sat down at the Gryffindor table. A little later, Flitwick, the Debuty Headmaster told the student body Hogsmeade was under attack, and that they were taking no chances, and reassured the students they were quite safe within Hogwarts.

000000

Harry appeared on the outskirts of Hogsmeade, and was set upon by a few Inferi, almost as soon as he appeared. Harry grinned darkly, and sent a wave of extremely hot flames their way, and they burned better than dry wood. Riddle had to be really pissed, to have someone raise Inferi to attack the village. Harry expanded his senses as much as he could, and found that a lot of the townspeople had escaped.

Most of the homes around him seemed to be empty, at least. Harry hoped those who had not managed to Apparate out or use a Portkey, had been wise enough to seek shelter in the Three Broomsticks. It was a very strong building, and if people made their way into the basement, they would be in the safest place in Hogsmeade, and it could hold a significant portion of the populace.

Another group of Inferi came stumbling out of a side alley. Harry unsheathed his sword, and concentrated on his arm braces, and felt fire start sliding down his hand, and on to the blade. This group was bigger than the last one, but Harry made quick work of them, leaving behind a trail of charred flesh, and bone. He was still a ways from the town centre, but as Harry moved on, he became increasingly worried about the fact that he'd not met a single wizard, yet.

Then, just as the thought left him, he heard someone shout an incantation, and rolled to the side as a bone crushing curse came soaring his way. As he came out of the roll, he sent a large fireball into the window the attack came from, and heard a pained gasp as a woman was eviscerated. An entrails exploding curse came from the other direction, and Harry just about managed to bring his sword up to block the spell, and send it toward his other attacker. By some stroke of luck, his aim was true. Behind him, he heard a group of people come running, and he recognized most of their scents. Not to mention feeling the ground shake as Grawp marched onwards, beside his brother.

“They're waiting for us in the town square, I reckon. I'm hoping those that didn't make it out fled to the Three Broomsticks,” Harry said, when the group arrived.

“Aye, lad. When I left, there were a lot of people headed that way. Not all of the people of Hogsmeade had emergency Portkeys,” Moody said. “Somehow, the Ministry has been able to lock Portkey travel when they need to, and the black market Portkeys that bypass it are too expensive for most people. Potter, you should know Kingsley, Tonks and Remus Apparated to the East gate, to see how well the other half of Hogsmeade managed to evacuate.”

Harry nodded, and turned to Minerva. “Perhaps a certain tabby cat might be willing to go the square, and have a look?”

Minerva smiled at her Lion, morphed into her cat form, and bounded off. Harry turned to his companions, and noticed Andromeda had the Bag in her hands. He held out his hands, and Andie gave it to him. Harry opened it, and saw the Horcruxes were all there.

“Good thinking. We may have use for them later,” Harry said, and looked over the group. “Now, I want to reiterate what I said earlier. If Riddle shows up, _do not kill him._ In fact, do not engage him at all.”

At that moment, a loud boom shook the ground beneath their feet. Harry perked his ears and heard a a bellow, followed by another crash. Harry's hand tightened around the sword, the leather creaking under the pressure. Narcissa placed a hand on Harry's shoulder and Bellatrix walked up to him and took his face into her hands, and kissed him.

“Calm down, sweetie. We don't want to go in there blindly. McGonagall will be here shortly, and then-”

That was as far as she got, before Harry turned on the spot, and flamed his sword as a hoard of Inferi, and one giant came charging _through_ a house in front of them. Harry rushed forward. “Focus on the Inferi! Grawp and Hagrid will take care of the giant!”

Harry launched himself at the undead creatures, hacking and swinging away. Any Inferi he did not strike down himself, were met with a barrage of fire based spells. A mighty roar almost crushed the eardrums of the humans as Grawp and Hagrid engaged the giant. Grawp swung his arm, and caught the giant in the side, and Harry heard a few ribs smash. Unfortunately, the enemy giant did not seem to notice it as Grawp was hit to the back of the head, and went down on one knee.

Hagrid let out a bellow, and with incredible strength, grabbed the giant's foot, heaved and managed to trip the monster. Harry wasted no time, and jumped onto the giant as soon as it landed, and thrust his sword into its throat, much like he had when he killed the other giant at Bullswick. Harry yanked his blade free, and saw Grawp stand up and shake his head, a little unsteady on his feet.

“Hey Hagrid!” Harry said jovially. His big friend grinned at him, a sheen in his eyes Harry had never seen, which had him wondering if his giant side was out to play this day.

“ 'Lo, ´Arry. Yeh doin' arigh?”

“I'm doing great, Hagrid, thanks. Tea and cookies in the hut later?”

Before Hagrid could answer, however, Harry felt an unholy chill come in from the East. He turned his head, and set off at a pace no human should be capable of. The cold became more intense, and he felt the ground freeze, saw roses form on the glass in the windows.

Harry heard Kingsley shout the incantation for a Patronus, in the distance, but understood the veteran Auror was struggling. Harry heard Tonks try to get her Patronus going, but she was failing as well. When Harry could not hear Remus, he became very worried. Eventually, he heard an anguished wail tear itself from Tonks' throat, and he pushed himself even harder. Finally, he came upon a grim scene.

There were at least four dozen of the soul sucking fiends bearing down on the three Order members. Remus was down a little ways from his companions, a Dementor slowly drifting away from him. Harry's heart broke into a thousand pieces, when he realized what had happened. Kingsley fell next, and Tonks was down on one knee, barely managing a faint silver vapour, which would be useless against the horde of monsters above her.

Harry shoved his anger, and grief into a small corner of his mind, and walled it off for now. He felt the love for his girls coarse through his being, and the sword in his hand started glowing a ghostly, silvery light. He tightened his grip on the weapon, and brought it up over his left shoulder, and slashed it diagonally downwards. A sliver jet burst from the sword, and cut the nearest three Dementors in half. Harry wasn't done, though.

As soon as the jet connected with the Dementors, he turned his attention toward the mass of black clad filth, who were obviously wavering in their desires to get their hands on those souls, having just witnessed a few of their own being slain. Their hesitation was not shared by their attacker, who pointed his sword at them, and from it burst forth an enormous Patronus, in the form of a breathtakingly beautiful, sword wielding woman.

She was wearing a loose fitting toga, and a pair of sandals, and her long, wavy hair flowed about her shoulders as she charged the horde, hacking and slashing with reckless abandon. Long, strong wings carried her swiftly into the air to chase after any Dementor that tried to escape. While staring at the display, Harry became aware of Kingsley and Tonks wearily struggling to their feet. He rushed over to them, and helped them up. Black cloth filled the sky as the ethereal woman slew the soul sucking demons with great success.

The Black sisters, followed by Ron and Hermione arrived at the scene, just as the Dementors left, and the Patronus returned to Harry. She walked toward him slowly, and when she was close enough, she reached down, and caressed his cheek lovingly, before slowly fading away.

Tonks turned, and ran toward her husband, and fell to her knees at his side, very distraught. Remus did not acknowledge her presence in any way, his eyes vacant. Tonks called out to him a few times, but he was completely unresponsive. She slowly let her face fall onto his chest as she cried silently. Andromeda squeezed Harry's hand briefly, went to her daughter, and pulled her into an embrace.

She whispered consoling words into Tonks' ears, and slowly the crying faded into slight sobs. At the end, Tonks said something that made Andie frown, before she nodded in understanding. Andie led her distraught daughter away from her husband, toward Harry and the others. She passed by Bellatrix, placed a hand on her shoulder, and whispered something to her that no one heard, aside from Harry.

“Will you end his suffering, Bella?”

“Of course,” Bella said softly. She walked slowly over to Remus, and knelt by his side, taking out her wand. She closed her eyes for a moment to collect herself, before she pointed her wand to Remus' chest, and he was hit with the tell tale green flash of the killing curse. Bella walked over to Harry, who hugged her briefly while she assured him she was fine. Harry turned around, and heard Andie ask Hestia Jones to take her daughter home. Tonks vehemently refused.

“I'm staying, Mum! He'd have wanted me to stay and help. Hes, would you please take his body to Hogwarts?” Hestia nodded, and was soon away with the body.

A puffy eyed Hermione approached Harry then, and pointed toward the heaps of black cloth on the ground. “Harry, how did you kill those Dementors? What was that Patronus?”

“Don't know,” Harry replied, and sheathed his sword, and marched on, his senses primed. A part of his mind wondered just what he could tell his best friend, when he himself didn't even know what that had been. “Why aren't the Death Eaters here yet? Surely, they must have heard the ruckus. What-”

A pained scream echoed throughout the village. Harry advanced slowly. He was very worried about Professor McGonagall; she should have been back already, and he dearly hoped she wasn't the one screaming, but somehow, in his heart, he knew she was. Harry motioned for the rest of his group to stop, and disillusion themselves, then wait. He crept on, and forced his way into an abandoned house which he knew would have a part view of the town square. He cringed as another boom thundered, and this time, there was a loud crack.

Harry's heart sank as he saw the enemy attack Rosmerta's pub, and realized they were just about through the walls, and wards around the Three Broomsticks. What he saw next, however made him see red. The reason Voldemort's followers hadn't confronted them yet. At the center of the assembled Death Eaters, stood Lucius Malfoy, and his son. Draco had Snape in a body bind on the ground. While Harry wasn't terribly sad to see that, as he still loathed his former potions master, what Malfoy senior was doing made his blood boil, and his teeth gnash.

The blonde ponce had Minerva McGongagall under the Cruciatus. The Death Eaters cheered, and laughed at her plight. Pettigrew was one of the more vocal as he boasted of the fact he had captured her. Then and there, Harry decided he would kill the man. Harry quit the house, and jogged back to his comrades at a quick pace.

“The bastards are torturing Professor McGonagall.” Harry hissed, then checked the baldric for his knives; there would be no AK for Peter Pettigrew. He gave his friends a look, before he turned, and started walking toward the square.

“What are you going to do, Harry?” Hermione asked in a small voice, although, she suspected the answer and it hurt her heart.

Harry stopped, and glanced at her from the corner of his eye. “I'm going rat hunting. Look, we cannot defeat them without massive casualties, and death. I can only see one way to end this at least somewhat favourably. It's risky, but we must try. Wait five minutes, then ask Hagrid to send Grawp into the square, while I occupy Malfoy. We must take care of that giant.”

Harry strode confidently along the street, knowing there were no Death Eaters around to meet him until he got closer. Predictably, both of the men set to guard the entrance to the square were watching their fellow Death Eaters having their fun, and never noticed Harry approach. Both men died as a knife was thrown into their necks. Harry wove pockets of air beneath them, and they sank to the ground soundlessly.

He crept toward the square, and found Pettigrew was having his turn with McGonagall. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Harry threw a knife at the Rat, and struck true. At first, no one realized what had happened, when suddenly, Wormtail sank to the ground, clutching his throat, blood oozing out between his fingers. An unremarkable death for an unremarkable coward, and traitor. Harry threw another knife, and barely missed Malfoy senior.

“Malfoy!” Harry screamed as he entered the square. Both Malfoys turned their heads to the sound, and raised their wands at Harry, who marched on with confidence. “Call your master here, right now!” Harry shouted as he sent a massive gust of wind toward the Death Eaters, who staggered back, and Harry could literally feel the fear his actions caused. Using the distraction, he dashed forward, and took Professor McGonagall into his arms.

She was barely conscious, and twitching badly. In his anger, Harry barely noticed the giant finally break through the walls of Rosmerta's inn. Harry's heart sank, but he relaxed a bit when Grawp came running, and launched himself at the enemy, and the pair rolled down the street in a tangle of limbs. A number of Death Eaters rushed into the building. A few screams of pain could be heard as the overzealous fools tripped a few booby traps, and came stumbling out again, a few missing limbs, and at least two on fire. Seemed like Rosie had not been remiss in warding her establishment.

“Didn't you hear me, Malfoy? Call that bastard Riddle, and tell him Harry Potter wants to see him. I have something for him.”

Draco stared at the Vigilante in shock. This was Scarhead? Absurd, surely, but the scar was there, and the green eyes. He whispered something to his father, who looked back at Harry, and sneered at him.

“The Great Lord does not concern himself, with rabble!”

Harry just grinned at the man, and tilted his head to the side. “Oh, I think he might. Rowle, you stupid, incompetent idiot! Go get Riddle, and you just might move ahead of Little Lucy here, in the good graces of old Snake Eyes.”

Rowle motioned to a wizard, who waved his wand over a rune stone of some sort, and for an instant, the Anti Apparition wards were deactivated around Rowle. There was a loud crack, and Harry saw Rowle Apparate away. Harry heard his comrades come up behind him, and his three lovers came up to him at his back, and flanks in a protective formation. He smiled at them, and eyed the two men in front of him, who were staring at the three women.

“Narcissa?” Malfoy senior said, a little ruffled at the sight of his former wife. His face hardened almost immediately, though. “You will stop this nonsense at once, and return to me! You are mine! If you come now, I may eventually forgive you. After you've been suitably punished, of course. And you, Bellatrix, belong to the master! I suggest you crawl back to him, and he may even show you some mercy. Though I would not count on it.”

Harry bristled at that, and looked at the elder Malfoy with utter disdain. “Narcissa and Bellatrix do not belong to anyone! Least of all to a pair of degenerates with delusions of grandeur.”

With an enraged snarl, Lestrange burst forth, but was held back by Crabbe, at Malfoy's command. Tensions were high as Draco stepped forward, and looked at his mother with a disgusted expression.

“So, you've chosen to stand with this filth, mother? To think you would mingle with such animals...”

Narcissa silenced the boy with an ice cold look, that almost froze the blood in his veins. “You are no son of mine, Draco Malfoy. You are a pathetic coward, and a weakling, much like your father. Harry gave you and me a chance at a new life, and unlike you, I grasped mine with open arms. I am, once again Narcissa _Black,_ courtesy of my Head of House, who also happens to be my lover,” Narcissa said, and gave Harry a kiss on the cheek.

Malfoy senior paled, and stepped forward, his wand rising in his hand, when a pair of men appeared next to him with a crack. Well, one man and some kind of thing, anyway.

“Lucius!” Riddle snapped, and the man stopped at once, and bowed to Voldemort.

“My Lord.”

Narcissa scoffed, and laughed at her former husband, and sneered at him. “So much for the pride of the Malfoys. After all your talk of blood purity, and your supposed _superiority_ , you grovel like a slave at the feet of a half blood, who is less of a pureblood than Harry. Despite her being of Muggle birth, Lily Evans was a proper witch. If what I've learned is true, Merope Gaunt was barely a squib!”

“Be silent, girl!” Riddle hissed at Narcissa, quite enraged. “Every word out of your mouth will add to your suffering, when you will be taken back to the manor.”

Ignoring Harry for the moment, Riddle turned his gaze upon Bellatrix, who had wrapped an arm around Harry's waist. He narrowed his eyes to slits. “Bella. My most loyal servant. Your place is at my side, my sweet. Return to me, and I shall consider some leniency.”

Bellatrix ignored him. Instead, she leaned into Harry, and gazed lovingly into his eyes. “I think not, you filthy rapist. I'm perfectly fine where I am,” she said, and kissed Harry with unbridled passion. Andie smiled at his back and, and put her hands on his shoulders, while whispering loving words to him.

Riddle made a disgusted sound in his throat, and finally acknowledged Harry's presence with a creepy smile, that seemed entirely too happy for Harry's liking. Glancing down, Harry noticed Minerva had finally lost consciousness, and he felt it rather prudent to end this confrontation quickly. But he had to rile Riddle up at least a little, to throw him off balance.

“Harry P-” Riddle began with a honeyed smile, but Harry stopped him with a raised hand.

“Look, that smile is just not doing it for me, Riddle. I don't like you that way. You may want to turn to Malfoy, for something like that. I'm certain he'll do anything to win your favour,” Harry said, and flashed Riddle a shit eating grin.

Riddle almost lost it. “You insufferable,” the snakeman screamed. He barely managed to contain himself, before he took a deep breath, quite obviously using his Occlumency to regain control.

“Now, with that out of the way,” Harry said nonchalantly, “I think we should get down to business. I'm in no mood for long winded villainous monologues, or some kind of a reunion, Riddle. What I want is for you and your band of gutless gits to leave this village, and stay the hell away from it.”

Riddle actually laughed at that. “Now, why would I do that, Harry Potter? It seems to me that I hold the advantage. You cannot possibly defeat us. To try would be utterly disastrous for you, and your _friends_ ,” Riddle said gleefully.

Harry raised an eyebrow. “True. But you're forgetting, I told that idiot Rowle I had something for you. Don't you want your gift?”

Harry motioned for Ron to come, and hold McGonagall, but told him to give her back once this was over. Harry accepted his Bag from Andromeda, and opened it, then pulled out Nagini's head, and threw it onto the ground before his enemy. Harry had always figured Riddle was as pale as a living being might get, but was proven wrong, when Riddle's enraged face lost what little colour there was.

“You dare...”

Harry didn't let him finish. “Oh, but there's more in my bag of tricks, Tommy!”

Harry reached into the Bag again, and pulled out both the diary and Gaunt's ring, and threw them onto the ground next to the snake's head. Riddle's eyes widened in shock, and he stood perfectly still. Again, Harry reached into the Bag, and out came the locket and cup. Riddle started backing away slowly his eyes widened in fear. One last time, Harry's hand disappeared and emerged with Ravenclaw's diadem, and the two halves of the anchor he'd found in Albania.

Those too, he threw onto the ground. At that point, Riddle had stopped moving, and was looking at the Horcruxes in horror. Every Death Eater was looking at their master, but dared not move a muscle. They had never seen him in such a state, and no one wanted to be the one to set him off. They had all felt the sting of his _Cruciatus,_ at one point or another. And judging by the way he was behaving now, he might simply kill someone, and not be content with torture.

“What's the matter, Riddle?” Harry asked with a sneer. “You look scared. Now, let's end this right here and now!” Harry exclaimed, and drew his sword. He advanced on Riddle, who scrambled to get away, and just about managed to alert the wizard who managed the Anti Apparition charm and Apparated away, the coward that he was.

At that, there were a series of pops as the Death Eaters fled the field. The younger Malfoy dropped Snape, and disappeared. Harry sheathed his sword, and made his way to the Bag, and put the items in it once again. He gave Andromeda the Bag, and took Minerva of Ron's hands. He did not know why, but he felt very strongly that she was his responsibility.

“Please make certain the people in the Three Broomsticks are safe, and someone go check on Grawp. And search the village for any bodies and survivors. I'm taking Professor McGonagall to the Hospital wing,” Harry said, and Apparated without a sound.

The Black sisters, and Tonks set out at once toward Rosemerta's pub. The rest of the group, however was a little taken aback over what had happened. They'd had a confrontation with Lord Voldemort, and Harry had sent him scampering off, with his tail between his legs, almost as if he'd been having afternoon tea. Hermione did not know how to process what she'd seen. Where had this new, capable, and confident Harry come from? She thought back to how her friend had asked the Headmistress if she'd be willing to go take a look, and realized he had in fact not been asking.

No, it had been a _command,_ framed as a playful request, designed to add a little levity to an extremely stressful situation. And he'd expected Minerva McGonagall, of all people, to do as she was told. Then he'd done it again, just now. She was startled out of her reverie by Moody's, and Kingsley's slight chuckles.

“Well, I guess that settles that!” the grizzled old Auror said to Kingsley, who nodded his accord.

“It certainly does, Alastor. But then, we both knew he had it in him.”

“Aye.”

Hermione was confused. As were most of the others. Aside from Fleur, who had a faraway look on her face, as she stared at the spot Harry had been standing on. “I'm sorry, but what was settled?” 

Moody turned to her and grinned. “The leadership of this little club of ours, Miss Granger. Since you're all here, I'll use the opportunity to let you know I intend to secede my temporary position as leader, to one Harry James Potter. Should he accept, I will expect all of you to answer to him from then on, as I will.”

And with that, the old man, along with Kingsley, limped away from them, in the direction Grawp, and the other giant had rolled in earlier.

Hermione looked to Ron, who had a strange look on his face. He shrugged, and went into a nearby building to check for survivors. The bushy haired bookworm was left alone with her thoughts, and she determined it would be a good idea to have a long private talk with her best friend, as soon as possible.

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Since the Keystone did not allow Harry to Apparate directly into Hogwarts with another, he reappeared outside the gates, which swung open as he approached them. He strode up the path, Minerva cradled protectively in his arms. As he came upon the doors to the castle, they were opened with a mere thought, the Keystone helping him along.

The doors to the Great Hall did so as well, when he got there. He entered the Hall, and looked around, hoping to find Madame Pomfrey there, but realized his folly. Obviously, she would be in the Hospital Wing, waiting on possible casualties. He quit the Hall, and marched toward Poppy's realm. He became aware of several people come rushing behind him. Ginny and Luna, Flitwick and Sprout, Sinistra and Babbling.

He heard the questions that rained down on him, but did not acknowledge them. Nothing mattered to him at that moment, except the woman in his arms. Nothing else was of any consequence. The others could fill them in once they returned. Harry entered the medical ward, one foot pushing the door open. Once inside, he saw Madame Pomfrey come bustling towards him in that special way that only she could. The familiarity of it reassured him somewhat.

Her eyes narrowed as she looked her friend Minerva over, and realized at once what the Headmistress had been through. She pointed toward the bed by the window, in the last row. Harry knew it well. He had, after all, spent quite a bit of time in it, and had become a little attached to it, truth be told. In fact, there should probably have been a plaque, with his name on it.

Once he reached the bed, he gently laid her down, and waited for the healer to come, and take a better look. When Madame Pomfrey arrived, she had in her hands a pair of bottles. One, the very familiar purple colour of the Dreamless Sleep potion, the other a greyish looking concoction Harry did not know. Before Poppy could do anything, however, the door to the ward banged open, and Tonks led in a large group of people. Poppy closed the privacy curtains, then handed Harry the bottles, and gave him a meaningful look.

“She'll be fine, Mr. Potter. Now, I must go assist Nymphadora. Please administer the grey potion first, it will ease the twitching and cramping. Once you have done that, wait fifteen minutes, then give her the Dreamless Sleep potion. It's fairly strong, but she will wake up in the morning.”

She gave Harry a pensive look. “Normally, I would insist on privacy for my patients, but you're not leaving, are you?”

Harry shook his head, his features chiselled in stone. “No, I'm not leaving her side, until she wakes up.”

Poppy smiled a ghost of a smile, before she conjured a very comfortable chair to her friend's bedside. “I trust you will keep her safe?”

“Always,” Harry said with absolute conviction, and uncorked the soothing potion.

“Good,” Poppy said approvingly, and rushed to help Tonks with the new arrivals.

Harry gently cupped the back of Minerva's head, and slowly let the liquid trickle down her throat. Once the bottle was empty, he eased her head back onto the pillow. Then he sat in the chair, and took a hand in his, running his thumb over her knuckles. To his relief, Minerva's body seemed to relax. A quarter hour later, he administered the sleeping potion, and sat in the chair again, his eyes never leaving the Headmistress.

He became aware of the Black sisters peeking through the screen, and heard them tell him they'd go and make themselves comfortable in his room in Minerva's quarters. He briefly left Minerva's side to thank them for their support, and give each of them a chaste kiss. Once he had bid them farewell, he resumed his vigil over his Minerva.

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McGonagall woke up, and slowly blinked her eyes into focus. She realized she was lying in a bed in the Hospital wing, and what she remembered of the events of the day before came back to her in a flood. She suppressed a gasp, and took a deep, slow breath, which she released even slower. She heard someone breathe in a rhythmic fashion, and almost started when she saw Harry sleeping in a chair at her bedside. Before she could do anything, however, her friend Poppy walked through the privacy screen, and to her side.

“How are you feeling, Minerva?”

“I feel as if a clean shirt will do me,” Minerva said in a thick Scottish brogue, and propped herself against the headboard.

Poppy winced at that and wove patterns with her wand over Minerva. “That's to be expected after extended exposure to the _Cruciatus_. You're lucky Mr. Potter arrived when he did. A few minutes longer, and I fear you would be residing in a bed next to the Longbottoms, for the rest of your life.”

Minerva nodded at her friend, before turning her attention to Harry, who had not moved at all. “When did he get here, Poppy?”

Madame Pomfrey smiled fondly at the young man. “He brought you here yesterday afternoon, and has not left your side since. I tried to make him go eat, but he would not hear it, said your condition was his fault, and that the least he could do was make sure you were safe.”

Despite, yet again, being frustrated at Harry's incessant need to blame himself for everything that went wrong in the universe, Minerva felt a rush of warmth coarse through her being, when she considered how protective he was of her.

“I'm a bit surprised to see him asleep, Poppy. That man is the most stubborn one I've ever met, and if he'd set his mind to staying awake, he'd have been the one to welcome me back, even if I'd slept for a week.”

Poppy eyed the young man sadly, before she handed Minerva a pain relieving potion, which the Headmistress gulped down quickly.

“I gave him some tea laced with Dreamless Sleep, during one of my rounds, and it seems he was too worried to notice. It was unethical, but he needs to sleep, Minnie. And get proper rest, do nothing for a fortnight, if possible. I can tell he's been getting at least some rest recently, but I doubt he's been getting a decent night's sleep, since before Albus died.”

Poppy continued; “He's utterly exhausted. How he's managed not to break down astounds me. Add to that the loss of Remus Lupin... I've never seen a stronger person, Minerva, but when people like that finally break... I just hope he'll rely on his friends, now that he's back with us.”

“Remus is gone?” Minerva asked.

“Yes. He was Kissed, and Bellatrix ended his life, at Nymphadora's request.”

Minerva had been watching her Lion the whole time, her face gradually taking on a look of determination. She turned to look at Poppy, who was regarding her with an amused expression.

“What amuses you, Poppy?” Minerva asked with a raised eyebrow. “Is this a time for smiles?”

“We must not drown in our sorrows, Minnie, you know that,” Madame Pomfrey chided her friend.

“Aye. Now, about that smile?”

“I haven't seen that look on you in decades, Minnie. Not since Dougal McGregor, in fact. I must say I find it a bit surprising. Not that Mr. Potter isn't worthy of your affections, mind you.”

Minerva pursed her lips thoughtfully. “It caught me by surprise. It's not some passing infatuation, either, I can feel it is so, in my heart. When I saw him the night before last, I was so relieved to find he was alive, but I was unprepared for what I saw.”

“Unprepared for what?” Poppy asked her friend.

“In the time he's been away, Harry Potter has turned into a man, Poppy. From what I saw yesterday, before I was captured, he's become a warrior, who would not look out of place among the _G_ _allóglaigh_. I am confident he can be the leader of the Light _Albus_ bloody _Dumbledore_ could've only ever hoped to be. I know he can, and I intend to help him.”

Madame Pomfrey stared at Minerva, wide eyed. On one hand, she had never heard her friend speak of _anyone_ in such glowing terms. But on the other, the way she spoke Dumbledore's name with such derision, did not sit well with her. What could have happened to make Minerva feel that way toward a man she had respected, and admired her whole life?

“Minerva, did you and Albus have a falling out I didn't know about?”

Minerva sighed sadly. “No, we did not. Perhaps it would have been better if we had, that night we left Harry at the Dursley's. I told him they were the worst sort of Muggles imaginable, but he did not listen, and I did not press the issue as hard as I should have. He was Albus Dumbledore, and who was _I_ to question him? The one who defeated Grindelwald, and the only wizard Riddle was afraid of. That was a belief I held on to for much too long, Poppy, and Harry has suffered for it. If you look at Harry's life, before he went missing, do you think it was normal?”

Poppy looked at her friend pensively. “No, but there was precious little chance of that, given who he is, Minerva.”

The Headmistress huffed irritably. “I'm well aware of that, Poppy, but that's not what I'm referring to. The Philosopher's Stone, for example. When I think of it, the safeguards were really quite pathetic, and were easily bested by first years? And I remember Albus telling me Harry had discovered the Mirror of Erised. After he had conveniently given Harry James' invisibility cloak. It stinks terribly. And it doesn't stop there, either. That whole second year fiasco, beggars belief. We let the student populace almost isolate Harry, once they learned of his ability as a parselmouth, because Albus was certain it would sort itself out quickly.”

Pomfrey scoffed at that. “Those fools. His best friend is a Muggle born, for Merlin's sake!”

“Indeed. I'm ashamed of the fact that it took two second years to resolve that whole Chamber of Secrets situation. I know you wanted to simply order a case of mandrakes from Diagon Alley, but Albus declined the request. Why? I don't think a simple desire to protect the reputation of Hogwarts was behind it. And it keeps piling against Harry, after that. You remember fourth year, don't you, Poppy?”

“Of course I remember. Dragons, I tell you!”

Minerva scowled. “I do not understand why the judges did not simply rule the tournament a draw on the night of the selection, and restarted it with the three chosen champions. No, I think Albus used Harry to lure Riddle out of hiding, and Harry almost died for it. Mr. Diggory _did_ die,” she finished sadly.

The mistress of the healing ward could barely believe what she was hearing. Everything Minerva was saying was true, and made perfect sense, but still. “What brought all this on?” she asked.

Minerva sighed. “Narcissa Black told me she and her sisters needed to talk to me about Harry's life, and Dumbledore's role in it. Her words had me looking at things a little differently, and you can see it does not paint a pretty picture. Albus had his fingers deep in every aspect of Harry's life, and it is extremely suspect when I consider what his life's been like. I've come to the painful conclusion he did not have Harry's best interests at heart. Not really.”

At her friend's startled look, Minerva raised a soothing hand. “Now, I'm not saying Albus was evil, he most certainly was not. I know for a fact he was very fond, and proud of Harry, but he was also extremely manipulative. Albus had something planned for him, I'm certain, but I cannot...”

She looked at Harry, and her eyes found his scar. She frowned in thought. “Unless... Poppy, how long will Harry sleep?”

“It's hard to say,” Poppy replied. “Until the evening, I hope. I gave him a strong dose, since he seems extremely resistant to almost anything after his... transformation, which I'm still extremely curious about. Minerva, what's going on?”

McGonagall quickly rose from the bed, careful of not bumping into Harry, and put on her clothes, before striding beyond the curtain, and into the ward. She slowed down, and allowed Poppy to catch up to her. She turned slowly, and looked over the ward.

“How many injured and how many dead?” she asked, concern lacing her voice.

“Five dead, twenty four injured, seven critically,” Poppy said, before she put a hand on her friend's shoulder when Minerva was about to storm out of the Hospital wing. “Will you please tell me what's going on? Is it about Harry? Please? You know how much I care about him.”

Minerva's shoulders dropped slightly as she looked her friend in the eye. “I'm sorry, Poppy, but I cannot. If it is what I suspect, then it's not my place to tell. Please keep a close eye on him, until I return.”

And with that, she strode quickly out of the hospital wing, and almost ran toward her quarters, hoping the Black sisters were there, still. She passed, and barely acknowledged a few students, who wished her well, and in short order, found herself in front of the gargoyle. The statue moved aside, and Minerva ascended the stairs quickly, passed her office, going straight to her lodging. Sitting in front of the fire were Andromeda, Bellatrix and Narcissa. They looked up, rose from the chairs and approached the Headmistress, slightly alarmed by her agitated state.

“Where's Harry?” Andromeda demanded. “Is he alright?”

Minerva took a deep breath, and looked all three in the eye, before asking the question that had been burning her tongue, since leaving the hospital wing. “Harry's a Horcrux, isn't he?”

The sisters blinked a few times. Bella then sighed deeply, and nodded.

“Yes.”

000000

Minerva sank slowly into the sofa, her eyes distant and weary. So she had been right, then. She folded her hands in her lap, and took a shuddering breath. Just how much could fate throw at one person?

“You wanted to talk to me about Albus' role in Harry's life, and you were right, there's something very wrong here,” she finally said after staring into the fire for a long while.

“We should have some tea while we discuss this, Minerva,” Andromeda said, and called for Dobby, who returned a few minutes later with a tray of tea and biscuits.

“We believe Dumbledore knew about Harry's... _condition,_ and that he was grooming him for a destiny only he knew about,” Narcissa began. “We also believe Harry may have unconsciously accepted the fact that he would never survive the war, and he was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice, in order to make certain Riddle was defeated.”

Minerva gave Narcissa a knowing look. “So, I assume there's no way to remove the Horcrux from Harry's body, without killing him?”

Bellatrix nodded. “Harry thinks so, yes. Yesterday, Moody and Snape killed Nagini, destroying the last Horcrux, aside from Harry himself. Minerva, Harry was dead set on walking through the Veil in the Death Room in the DoM, once he was the only one left.”

“ _Was_?” Minerva asked, and tilted her head slightly.

“Yes,” Narcissa said. “He saw something when he destroyed the Horcrux in Ravenclaw's diadem that made him reconsider, and want to find a way to remove it. It needs to happen quickly, though. Harry gave up a fantastic opportunity to end the war yesterday. Sure, there were lives at stake, but a more ruthless man might have ordered us to attack Riddle, while taking his own life.

Now, Harry's not going to wait forever; he will not condemn Britain to Riddle's continued threat, while we try to find a way remove that thing from his soul. I've been discretely making inquiries about Horcruxes, but have yet to find anything conclusive, but one of my contacts has travelled to Egypt to hunt down a promising rumour.”

Minerva stared into the fire for a few moments, before taking a deep breath. “How do you three deal with it? Knowing he's possibly going to have to die, in order to end the war?”

Andromeda moved onto the sofa, and took one of Minerva's hands in her own. “We focus on the time we have been given, and try not to think about the other thing. I suggest you do the same, Minerva.”

The Headmistress rose, walked slowly toward the her liquor cabinet, and picked up the picture of Harry and returned to the sofa, her eyes never straying from the frame.

“I should not feel this way. I'm over forty years his senior. I was his teacher, I was his parent's teacher, for Merlin's sake! And even if I could look beyond that, I'm guilty of terrible negligence. I was there that night, when Albus left Harry with those awful people. I cannot imagine I will ever be worthy of his affections, Andromeda. The very idea that Harry would ever feel the same, is absurd.”

Andromeda smiled at Minerva, then at her sisters, who gave her knowing looks. “I think it would be best to let Harry himself, decide what he feels. I know it's confusing and you don't understand how you've come to feel this way, but rest assured, we have gone through the same and we _still_ don't understand. We do share one thing, though. Harry has saved all of our lives, or at least we consider him to have saved our lives, as the case may be.”

“You think magic has something to do with it?” Minerva asked while looking at the picture in her hands. “Some kind of life debt?”

“We're obviously not certain,” Narcissa said. “It is quite possible, but as you know, soul magic is very vague, and very little effort had been made to research it.”

Andromeda nodded along. “I imagine there's a lack of willing subjects. Would you be happy to allow people to stick their noses into something so personal? I should think not. And I honestly don't think you need to worry about Harry's feelings.”

Minerva smiled a small smile, and realized Andromeda was right. Somehow, she knew her feelings were reciprocated. He had, after all saved her life, and afterwards, carried her to the infirmary, and refused to leave. Which reminded her that she had to get back. Harry would be worried if she wasn't there, when he woke up. But she wanted to discuss this more with these ladies. Bellatrix noticed her troubles, and lay a hand on her shoulder.

“Go to him, Minerva. We can speak more of this later. There are a few hard days coming, since I'm certain Harry will want to tell everyone about his adventures, and they will raise many difficult questions. And he is going to have a confrontation with a certain Weasley, that I expect will be trying.”

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Minerva entered the Hospital wing, and found Poppy in short order. According to her friend, Harry was still sleeping, although the potion should have worn off some time ago. Minerva made her way to Harry, and saw that Poppy had moved him into the bed. She conjured a straight backed wooden chair, very similar to the one she had used in her office as Transfiguration teacher, and once again as Headmistress.

It would not do to be too comfortable, it made one soft, and complacent. Once she had settled, she opened a folder she had stopped by her office to retrieve, before coming here. After half an hour or so, Harry woke up.

“You know, there's a crack in the ceiling. Right there in the corner. I noticed it in my first year. Can you see it, Professor McGonagall?”

Minerva was a little startled, since she hadn't noticed Harry wake up. She followed his gaze, and did indeed see the small crack there. She looked at Harry with some amusement.

“I can assume you've not told Poppy about it, Mr. Potter?”

Harry chuckled. “Merlin, no! She'd have glared at me for an hour, then made certain to move me to another bed, so I could focus on getting better. I wouldn't have liked that. I like this bed. I've lain in it so much, it's practically mine... Should probably have a plaque made, with my name on it.”

Minerva let out a heartfelt laugh that she quickly stifled behind a hand, when Madame Pomfrey came bustling through the screen. Poppy stood at the end of the bed, looking at the pair with a stern expression. Minerva's shoulders were still shaking in mirth.

“This is a hospital, you two. People are resting, and the pair of you are disturbing them,” she scolded them, but her tone was soft, and her eyes were shining. “How are you feeling, Mr. Potter?”

“Rested, Madame Pomfrey. Though, I could likely sleep for a week without trying.”

Poppy huffed at that, while Minerva gave him a concerned look. “You need to take better care of yourself, Mr. Potter,” Minerva admonished him.

“I suppose I should,” Harry agreed, before swinging his legs over the side of the bed, and once he'd put on his boots, he opened the privacy screen to find the ward full of patients. He walked slowly towards the exit, and Madame Pomfrey told Harry about the state of the inhabitants of Hogsmeade, and that of the patients of her ward. Harry made no sound and walked along, but stopped when he noticed Minerva had stopped walking, to look at a bed by the wall, surrounded by the privacy screens.

“Who lies in that bed, Poppy?” she asked her friend.

“Severus.”

Minerva nodded. “Why is it so cold and draughty around the bed?”

Harry chuckled a little and shook his head in amusement. “Hogwarts doesn't like him. She was quite happy to be rid of him, but I think she's taking it a bit far. Snape's earned a few day's reprieve, I think,” Harry said, and glanced at the ceiling.

After a moment, Harry continued on his way, and the two witches meant to follow, but stopped when they felt the draft suddenly cease, and the air become warmer. Minerva eyed her friend, who only shook her head.

“I'm not even going to ask, Minnie. I don't even know why I'm still surprised by anything related to Mr. Potter, after all these years.”

Minerva smiled knowingly, before quickly following Harry, who was waiting for her outside the door. They walked along in a companionable silence, the student body leaving them be, as they gave of an air of unavailability. While Harry seemed calm, Minerva's mind was in utter turmoil. She needed to have a heart to heart talk with Harry, and she felt it could not wait any longer. When they came upon the gargoyle, the passage opened, and the three Black sisters emerged, and were quite glad to see Harry up and about.

“Mr. Potter, could I request your presence in my office before you go up? There are some things I wish to discuss with you.” Minerva was trying to keep her composure, but she was struggling rather badly, so Harry smiled at her, and assured her he'd be there momentarily. Once she had left, Harry hugged, and gave each of the Black women a kiss.

“I'd better go and talk to Professor McGonagall. See you later?”

“Of course, Harry,” Narcissa said, and smiled at him. “We are going to the Great Hall for supper.” And with that Cissy and Andie walked along, but Bella hesitated a little, before she grabbed Harry by the hair, and kissed him with a passion that surprised him. She released his mouth, nibbled an earlobe and breathed hot air into his ear, which caused Harry to shudder a in pleasure.

“Make sure you snog the old Cat within an inch of her life, Harry,” she whispered in his ear, before she leaned back. “I know you're falling for her, and she's head over heels. Seems to be the same thing that happened with you and us three, actually. Do not fight it, Harry. It will make the both of you miserable, and nobody wants that. Now, Minerva is a good woman, and my sisters and I fully accept her as a part of... whatever this is. Assuming she's willing, of course.”

After that, she left to join her sisters in the Great Hall, her hips swaying alluringly. She looked over her shoulder at Harry, and winked at him, before she rounded a bend in the corridor.

They knew? Of course they did. Harry stood there for a good five days, contemplating his crazy existence, before he shook his head in defeat. Normal was not a word anyone would ever use to describe anything in his life, not even himself. He climbed the stairs and entered the Headmistress' office to find her waiting for him.

“I'm sorry for the delay, Professor McGonagall, my... Bella had something to tell me. Now, what did you want to discuss with me?”

“Please, take a seat, Mr.Potter,” she said in her normal, firm tone. Once Harry had done so, the mask slipped off, and Minerva gazed at him, her demeanour defeated and hurt. “I want to beg your forgiveness, Mr.Potter. I have failed you on so many different occasions, I can barely look you in the eyes any more. What Lily and James would think of me... I was a close friend of your parents, and I vowed to myself I'd take care of you, should the need arise. I'm deeply ashamed to admit I have not done so. I did not do so when Albus decided to place you with _those people._ Nor did I listen to your concerns regarding Flamel's stone,” she said mournfully.

“Professor McGonagall,” Harry began, but she pressed on as if he'd not said a thing. The dam had finally burst, after years of doubts, and anguish over her choices, and her eyes reflected that.

“I allowed the students of this school to treat you with fear, and loathing in second year, when they thought you were the heir of Slytherin, even if I knew it was such foolishness. Then, even after I heard how badly you reacted to those soul sucking fiends when they attacked you on the train in third year, I left you to fend for yourself against the Dementors. I should have approached you immediately after Poppy released you, and offered to teach you the Patronus charm. I should have helped you during the Tri-Wizard tournament, regardless of any rules, my pride be damned. Your life is worth so much more. And I let Umbridge...”

By now, the woman on the other side of the desk could not go on any longer, and palmed her face, her shoulders shaking as she sobbed into her palms. Harry couldn't bear it. There was something inherently wrong about seeing a person as strong as Minerva McGonagall in such a pitiful state, and it almost made Harry physically ill. He strode around the desk, pulled Minerva to her feet, and wrapped his arms around her holding her close.

“I've already forgiven you, Minerva,” Harry whispered in her ear. “I'm well aware that you've always been on my side, even if you did listen a bit too much to a certain old man with too many middle names. I understand, though. He was your friend and had led, not only you, but the whole of Wizarding Britain through some dark times. I can understand your loyalties would lie with him, and I respect and admire it, to be honest.”

“But Harry, I...” Minerva began as she looked up at him, but her words were caught in her throat as she gazed into his emerald eyes. He smiled at her, and she felt her own lips curve in a shy smile, and she turned away. She felt shy! It was an emotion she'd not felt since she was eleven years old, and sat down on the sorting chair in the Great Hall.

She had never cared for the feeling, it made her feel vulnerable and weak. But somehow, at that moment, she welcomed it; the rush she experienced, when she mustered her Gryffindor courage, and looked at him again was incredible. His eyes were full of kindness and caring and she felt utterly elated to be the one he felt those things for.

Then the look changed, became intense, and a gleam appeared in Harry's eyes that had her breathing a little heavier. She placed her hands on his breast, and felt his heart beating rapidly. She slowly slid her hands up his chest to his shoulders, where she grabbed them, just to make certain he could not escape. (Not that she thought he would, but better safe than sorry). She wanted to kiss him, and she wanted it right then. Harry leaned toward her, and she wrapped her arms around his neck to pull him down, and their lips met in a searing kiss, full of passion and desire.

When they separated, their breathing was ragged and uneven, and they were blissfully unaware of the portraits on the wall, the inhabitants of which were almost all in shock. They had all 'known' Minerva almost all her life, and they'd never seen her act in such a way, like the hot blooded Scot that she was, but most felt it was long overdue. Unbeknownst to them, Minerva agreed with their opinion.

It was time she let go of the mask she'd placed on herself all those years ago, when Dougal had not been able to look past his faith, and accept her being a mage. It had led to her Obliviating him, and it had hurt her terribly. But now, here, was a man who she knew accepted her, flaws and all and she was unreasonably glad he did.

The age difference, or the fact that she'd been his teacher as well as that of his parents was no longer a factor, after that kiss. They would have to get to know one another properly, of course, but she was adamant they would have years and years, to do so.

“So what happens now, Harry?” she asked as she felt his arms wrap her into a hug, once more.

“I honestly don't know, Minerva. I have so many things I need to do, I don't even know where to begin. Atop of all of that, I have a certain condition that-”

“I'm aware,” she interrupted him, and looked up at him again. “The Black sisters told me about it. We had a talk earlier.”

“Then you understand that, as long as I live, so does Riddle.”

“Yes, I do. However, Narcissa has told me she has been searching for a way to remove a Horcrux from a living being without their death.”

Harry remained silent for a moment, mulling over this latest piece of knowledge. So Cissy had taken it upon herself to rectify the situation with his soul? It wasn't very surprising, really. All the women in his life were extremely protective of him, and there was no way they would accept him dying without exhausting any and all avenues leading to his soul being saved.

He was also certain they knew he was not going to wait forever. They were not going to solve that mystery tonight, but he did have something he needed to do before heading home. Two things, actually. He released Minerva, and stepped back.

“Will you come down for supper?” he asked her.

Minerva took a deep breath, before shaking her head. “No, I am not very hungry, but if I decide to have something, I will ask one of the elves to bring me something.”

Harry nodded. “Alright. Now, I was thinking of continuing the meeting from yesterday in the morning. I would prefer to do it in your office, if you're up for it? If not, we can always do it in the Room of Requirement.”

“No, it's quite alright, Harry. Ten o'clock?”

“Perfect. However, I just want the Weasleys, Fleur and Tonks, as well as Moody and Neville and Luna there tomorrow. Oh, and I suppose Snape has earned the right to be there as well. I'm going to be revealing things that we don't want too many people to know about, so Hagrid's out, unfortunately. Oh, and could you perhaps ask Ron and Hermione to be here at nine, I wanted to have a moment with them before.”

“Yes, of course,” Minerva said. “May I ask what you are going to do now? I know that look, Harry. Your father would get that same one whenever he needed to do something he did not want to do, or was not looking forward to doing.”

Harry scratched the back of his head and groaned audibly. “I'm going to have a talk with a certain Weasley, and I don't think it's going to be terribly pleasant.”

Minerva frowned a little, before she gave Harry a level look. “Yes, I imagine it won't be, Harry. She was very upset when you disappeared, and I've heard about your last conversation with her before you left Hogwarts two years ago. She needs closure. Make sure you give that to her.”

Harry arched an eyebrow at his former Transfiguration professor, who became a little embarrassed, and flustered. She knew those words sounded a bit hypocritical, coming from yet another woman, who had gained his affections. “Go, Harry. If you hurry you may even catch her before she leaves the Great Hall”

“I will see you in the morning, then,” Harry said and quit the room.

000000

Harry entered the Great Hall, and supper was in full swing. He took in the scene, and a wave of nostalgia washed over him. He'd always liked the Great Hall. It was a nice place, he felt. The school came together for meals, and every major announcement. And invariably, students would always sit at their house table, and not anywhere else. Harry spied Ginny sitting at the Gryffindor table with her friends. He marched on over to her, and placed a hand on her shoulder. She let out a yelp in surprise, and turned her head, and her eyes turned frosty.

“Oh, it's you.”

Harry repressed a sigh. “Can we talk?”

Ginny studied his face for a moment, before nodding. “The Astronomy tower in one hour.”

Harry nodded gratefully, and turned to leave the Hall. As he walked, he noticed Luna enter, and this time, she wasn't wearing any shoes. Shaking his head, Harry made his way over to her, and stopped her. She smiled happily at him.

“Hello, Harry! Join me for supper?” she asked jovially.

“Sure, Luna, I'll join you.”

They walked over to the Ravenclaw table, and sat down at the end of the long table. Out of habit, Harry reached for all of his favourite things, and loaded them onto his plate. He dug in ravenously, and Luna watched him with an amused smile on her face.

“You missed the food, Harry?”

Harry's fork stopped halfway to his mouth, and he grinned sheepishly. “I did. It _is_ excellent, after all. Besides, I've been eating alone for a long time, and it's so much more fun to eat with others.”

Luna didn't react to his words, and gazed around in her usual, dreamy way. Harry finished his meal, and pushed the plate away, and it promptly disappeared. He leaned over toward his friend, a deep frown on his face.

“Was it the Nargles who stole your shoes this time, or was it the Engelbert Humperdincks?”

The dreamy look disappeared, and Luna became uncomfortable. She stole a look down the table, before catching herself. She hoped Harry hadn't noticed it, but he had, and he knew who she was looking at. Luna saw his face turn a bit stormy, and placed a hand on his arm in an effort to calm him down.

“Harry, it's not worth the trouble. They'll just keep going when you leave, anyway.”

Her friend did _not_ look happy hearing that. “You are my friend, Luna and you will always, _always_ be worth the trouble.”

Harry got to his feet, and took up a position at the end of the table. He slammed his palms on the table with every ounce of his strength. The table shook, and lurched to the side as the legs on Harry's end gave way from the incredible force of the blow. Needless to say, the students present in the Great Hall, as well as the teachers were quite startled, and every eye turned to Harry.

Then, the air in the Hall became heavy, and oppressive, the night sky became cloudy and lightning could be seen, thunder heard. Most people had problems sitting straight under the weight of it all, but, remarkably, Luna remained unaffected.

“Now, listen here, you bloody shit stains. There are people here, in this room, who have taken things from my friend Luna, and hidden them. It's been going on for years. I'd like to remind you that she has recently lost her father to the war, and _does not_ need you fucking jackasses stealing her things to make her life even more difficult. I am giving you a chance to go, and find those things, and return them to her. Do that, and there will be no consequences.”

Harry let the words hang in the air as the Hall returned to normal and Luna fixed the table with a flick of her wand. To Harry's satisfaction, a number of students rushed out at almost a sprint. Seemed like Luna would be getting her belongings in short order. His friend looked at him and simply smiled, before reaching for a Treacle Tart.

“Here you go, Harry. You deserve a reward.”

Before Harry could respond, however, Professor Flitwick approached them with a bemused expression on his face. Luna ducked her head, and blushed shyly but Harry turned a steely gaze upon the diminutive Charms professor.

“Is there something I can help you with, Professor?” Harry asked neutrally.

Flitwick cleared his throat carefully, and put on his best scolding face. “That was quite a... display you put on, Mr.Potter. May I ask why you felt it necessary to scare half my house to death over something you would have been just as well served if you'd brought it to my attention?”

Harry snorted at that, and stared at the small wizard. “And what would you have done, Flitwick? Held a house meeting, and demanded your Prefects or Head Boy and Girl take care of the matter? I'm sorry but, to hell with that.” Flitwicks indignant expression told Harry he'd hit a nerve, but he pressed on, regardless. “While they may not have been perpetrators themselves, I cannot believe _none_ of them were aware of Luna's troubles.”

Flitwick assumed a thoughtful expression and nodded slowly. “Perhaps you are right, Mr. Potter. It has been a long time since I was a teenager, and perhaps I have forgotten how vicious they can be,” the older man said, and stormed away, his hand cupping his chin.

When Harry turned to Luna, she waved her hand in a dismissive gesture, her dreamy look back in all its strange intensity. Harry shrugged, and walked out of the Hall, wandering toward the Astronomy tower, where he was to meet Ginny.


	12. XIII

XIII

Ginny found herself at the top of the Astronomy tower, leaning her shoulder on the wall by a window, gazing into the distance. Harry was back, and it changed _everything._ She was confused, her thoughts, and feelings were all over the place. Memories of that kiss of theirs, all those months ago were intertwined with more recent memories of secret rendezvous, and stolen kisses with Neville, and she didn't know what to do.

She sighed. It just wasn't fair. She had finally been ready to let go of him, and move on, when suddenly, he was there. And he was different. So very different. Of course, she'd heard much of what he'd done as the... Vigilante, but she was too distant from all of that to know what to really make of it. Or what it made of Harry. But she had noticed from the stunt he pulled in the Great Hall earlier, that he was the same thoughtful, loyal friend he'd always been. He'd been back for all of five minutes, and already, he'd seen to Luna's problem. This assertiveness was certainly a new facet of his personality, however.

She pushed from the window, and paced the room for a little while, trying to make sense of all of this, knowing all the while it was mostly a pointless exercise. Even if she would be inclined to try and rekindle a relationship with Harry, he'd shown up at Hogwarts with _them._ He was involved with Narcissa Malfoy, of all witches. And her sisters Bellatrix, and Andromeda, according to Neville. It made no sense for it to happen so quickly, and with _all_ of them?

She heard the door open, and turned around to find Harry coming into the room. He closed the door gently, and leaned back against it. He was nervous, she noticed. Good. He deserved to be a little uncomfortable. There was a thick silence in the room, which stretched on for a while, but Ginny wasn't about to break the silence. Harry had been the one to request a meeting, so he should get things moving. Which he did right then. He raised his head, squared his shoulders and walked over to her.

“Hello, Gin,” he said confidently. “It's good to see you.”

“Is that all you have to say after two years?” Ginny asked coldly.

Harry shrugged his shoulders, and moved over to a torch, and cupped his hand to call the small flame into his palm. He fed it a little more energy, formed it into a ball and let it bounce a few times, before he returned it to the torch once more.

“Well, we have to start this conversation somewhere, and there's no reason not to be polite, even if you're angry with me,” Harry said neutrally, as he sat down on one of the benches that lined the walls.

Ginny sighed at that. He was right, of course. Being cross in this situation was only going to make matters worse, and she needed closure. They both did, and there was no sense in making it more difficult, than it had to be. Then again, she would not be willing to put any gold on her temper not flaring.

“I am sorry I hurt you, but I don't regret what I did, Ginny. I wanted you to be as safe as you could be, and you have been.”

At that last bit, Harry's voice became a little uncertain, an opening Ginny pounced upon. “Harry, if they were truly intent on harming me, us not being together would not have changed anything. You can't be dim enough, to believe it would.”

Harry shook his head, and ran a hand through his hair. “It seemed such a brilliant idea back then, Gin. It really did, but you're right. It was pretty stupid.”

Both of them felt as if a weight had been lifted of them, and they both felt the air in the room lose some of the tension that had plagued it, since Harry had entered the room. Naturally, their issues were not resolved by Harry's admission of being wrong, but it certainly helped them along. Ginny approached the bench, and sat down beside her friend, and closed her eyes, content with sitting quietly for a moment, and it seemed Harry felt the same way. She opened her eyes as she felt Harry grab her, hand and squeeze it a little. She smiled a sad little smile. Harry's gesture was a purely friendly one.

“So, you and Neville?”

Ginny tilted her head, as she acknowledged his question. “Yes.”

“Well, not that it should matter, really, but I approve.” As soon as the words left Harry's mouth, he realized he'd made a mistake, and Ginny's expression turned sour.

“You're right, I don't need your approval!” Ginny said, a challenge in her voice, and it seemed her infamous, fiery temper was flaring up. “Do you know how much it hurts to have you back, only to find out you're with _them_? Bellatrix Lestrange and Narcissa Malfoy? Harry, these women are not worth...” Ginny didn't get any further than that, because Harry fixed her with a stone cold glare, the intensity of which frightened the redhead.

“That's enough! Be angry at me all you want, say to me, whatever you want, and I probably deserve all of it, but I will not allow you to disrespect them. Especially when you have _no idea_ what they have been through. You can count yourself lucky, that you were not raised in what some would call a _proper_ pureblood household.”

Ginny started shaking her head, as if she didn't know what he was talking about, but Harry wasn't having any of that. “You're not an idiot, Ginny, and you know exactly what I mean. You're a Weasley, as well as a Prewett, old pureblood stock. And if your mother didn't tell you what that means, then that crazy bint Muriel, will have. These women I'm with were raised like that, and look where it ended for them! Bella became what she did, Cissy was given to Malfoy, and Andie had to leave and be disowned to get away from it all!”

Harry took a deep breath to calm himself down a little. “We never became a proper couple, Ginny. I was in love with you back then, but I'm not the same man any more. The things I've seen, things I've done, they change a person, Gin. I didn't want to bring you into that world.”

"I'm not a child! I can take care of myself! You're just like mum, thinking I'm weak. A little girl," Ginny snarled.

Harry glared at her. "You think you could have taken on giants? Vampires, and werewolves? Don't be foolish, Ginny."

Ginny matched Harry's glare, with on of her own. "You should have given me a choice!" she shouted.

“And the choice was obvious!” Harry shouted right back. This was pointless.

And with that, Harry opened the door and slammed it behind him, leaving Ginny alone. Harry leaned back on the door, for a moment to clear his head. In all honesty, he was asking himself, why he had felt a need to apologize, to Ginny. People broke up all the time, and probably for a worse reason, that he had given her. Oh well. He made his way downstairs. On a platform halfway down the stairs, he came upon Neville, who was leaning against the wall, clearly waiting for them to finish their talk. Neville eyed Harry as he came down the stairs, and gave him a knowing look.

“Didn't go too well, did it?” he asked in a kind of a forceful voice.

“Well, she has a temper, Nev. Make sure you're ready for it,” Harry said, and gave his friend a measured look.

“You're alright with this, Harry? I mean, we're mates and all, Ginny was your,” Neville began, before Harry interrupted him with a hand on his shoulder. As he did, he heard as the door on top of the stairs opened very quietly, and Ginny stopped some distance up the stairs. So, she was going to listen in, was she? Well, Harry felt he could use that to his advantage, since Neville had not noticed her.

“Neville, like I told Ginny, we never became a proper couple, mate. Sure, we shared that kiss, and it was lovely, and I spent almost the whole first year I was gone thinking of her, but you're so much better man than I am, or will ever be.”

Neville glared at Harry. "Don't patronize me, Harry."

Harry's brow rose. "I mean it, Neville."

Neville snorted at that, and shook Harry's hand of his shoulder. “Oh, right. When you came back, Ginny told me she needed to think about things. As if Neville, bloody Longbottom could be better than Harry Potter. I mean, look at you! Look at what you've done, and become. Why should a woman like that settle for a bloke like me, when she could have someone like you?”

Neville asked defeatedly, and Harry was _very_ unhappy to see the old, spineless, self depreciating Neville make an appearance. Besides, he was wrong, and Harry felt he should try, and make him see that.

“You're not giving yourself enough credit, Neville. You've accomplished a lot since we last saw each other, and I know for a fact that you've been in many of the worst spots in the war. I may have been born with the courage to do what needed to be done, but you weren't, we both know that. Look, you may have been a bit of a coward when we were younger.”

Neville deflated a little further at that, but Harry pressed on. “But, who's to say I could have risen above myself, the way you have to become what you are today? I remember a scared boy who went with his friend into the DoM, knowing full well there was a good chance of Riddle actually being there, and you fought full blown Death Eaters.

Not the acts of a coward, if you ask me. You are a great man, Neville, and I promise you, she knows that. And if I know anything about Ginny, it's that she would never _settle_ for anyone. If she decides to pursue a relationship with you any further, then that's was she wants, and not something she's _settling_ for.”

Neville stood a little straighter after that, and squared his shoulders, and while he wasn't quite as tall and large as Harry, it was a near thing. The friends smiled at one another, and Harry clasped his friend's shoulder again, and started down the stairs again, but stopped when a sudden thought hit him.

“Neville, mate?”

“Mmm?”

“You wouldn't happen to know where I could find Susan and Hannah, would you?” Harry asked hopefully. His friend shook his head, much to Harry's disappointment.

“'Fraid I don't. Gran has them hidden away somewhere, under the Fidelius.”

Harry's disappointment evaporated, and he nodded thoughtfully. “Smart woman, your Gran,” he said, and descended the stairs again.

000000

After having gone back to Minerva's quarters, and learned Bella and the others had left the castle, Harry entered the grounds, and walked over to Hagrid's Hut, but found it empty. He was honestly a little relieved it was. He'd had his fill of meeting old friends for the day, so he walked out of the gates, and Apparated to Gryffindor's Stronghold.

He ventured inside to find Bellatrix in the sitting room, relaxing in front of the fire with a book. He tried to get a glimpse at the title, but honestly didn't care. She looked up, and smiled at him when he came in and sat down beside her. Bellatrix put down the book, shifted over to Harry, and leaned her head onto his shoulder.

“Where are Andie and Cissy?”

“They're at Andie's. I wanted some time for ourselves.”

“That's nice,” Harry said, and ran his hand through her hair.

“Are you alright, Harry?”

Harry kept playing with her hair for a little while. “I will be. To be honest, I didn't really know Lupin all that well. Or Sirius, for that matter. Of course, I'll miss them, and I feel terrible for Tonks, but I think... I think I was just clinging to whatever I could find that might connect me to my parents, you know? Clinging to Moony and Padfoot represented.”

Bella knew he was likely to become a moody mess if she didn't do something, so she decided to distract him in the best way she could think of. Well, that, and she simply didn't want to wait any longer. After all, there was a war on, and they could all die tomorrow, and she certainly did not want to miss her chance. She straddled his lap, and kissed him soundly on the lips, and moaned into his mouth. They kissed for a while, before she climbed off, and took his hand. She led him to the bathroom, where she proceeded to undress him, and commanded him to get into the bath.

“Once you're done, come to your room. I'll be waiting,” Bella said in a husky voice, and she gave him a look that oozed sensuality, before she left the room. Needless to say Harry was very quickly done with his bath, and dried himself swiftly. Wrapping a towel around his waist, he strode to his room, and opened the door to find a very naked Bella, reclining on the bed.

The only word Harry could think of when he laid eyes upon his Bella; _perfection._ He approached the bed slowly, climbed into it, and eased himself onto Bella, and they shared yet another passionate kiss. His lover was very eager and yet, as they progressed, he could feel her becoming uncertain, and perhaps, even a little afraid. He pulled back and looked Bellatrix in the eye.

“Are you alright? We don't have to do this if you're not ready, Bella,” he said gently, and lay down next to her. His companion shook her head, and rested it on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. Harry started running his fingers through her hair, which calmed her down, and she let out a small sound of appreciation.

“No, I'm ready for it, Harry, it's just...”

“Hmm?” Harry said, and kept playing with her hair.

“I've done this many times before, Harry. Had sex. But this will be the first time I'll be doing it with someone I care about. Someone I actually want, and desire, and in a way, it feels as if I'm doing this for the first time. I'm nervous, and I'm afraid of bottling it, when I know I shouldn't be. I can do things that feel so good, they'll turn you mad with lust, and the utter ecstasy I can bring you...”

Harry grabbed Bella and kissed her on the lips, and she let out a slightly surprised sound. “You're rambling, you know. I understand you're nervous, Bella. Guess what? So am I,” Harry said, and smiled at her.

She gave him a curious look. “Why? I assumed someone like you would have had to fight the Hogwarts girls off, with a Beater's bat.”

Harry snorted at that. “No, not really. Before Narcissa, and I got together, before we went after the diadem, I'd had a total of two kisses. One of which was utterly terrible. So, you'll have to take the lead on this, Bella.” Harry breathed in her ear, and trailed a few nibbling kisses down her neck, making his partner purr low in her throat. She arched her head to expose more of her neck, giving him better access. “Teach me how to please you.”

“Well, you're off to a good start,” she softly moaned, and fisted his hair gently...

000000

Fleur Delacour gracefully emerged from the Floo at _Maison Delacour,_ and was greeted by the flying missile that was her sister Gabrielle. Fleur certainly didn't mind. They had always been very close, and had only gotten more so since her problems with William had begun.

“Come, Fleur! _Maman_ and _Papa_ are waiting on the balcony. We are all rather anxious to learn what your emergency meeting was about!”

Fleur had to smile at her sister's enthusiasm, which was always a little infectious. As a young lady of nearly fifteen years, Gabrielle often acted like a much younger girl, which endeared her to most people who knew her. The sisters made their way through the house, and onto the balcony at the back, which overlooked a picturesque valley. The rolling hills were filled with rows and rows of trees, whose vines were laden with grapes that would be harvested, come September.

Fleur's grandfather, Sébastien Delacour, an orphan, had started the vineyard as a young man with nothing but his skill, and determination to his name. In time, he became recognized as an extremely gifted winemaker, and slowly, but surely his fame grew. Even though the vineyard had not become very large, it eventually became more than he could oversee by himself, so he contacted a childhood friend, a businessman named Bertrand, proposing a partnership.

Bertrand readily agreed, and they turned the small venture into a very well known brand, associated with quality and passion. The company grew steadily from year to year, and the two men became extremely wealthy. And yet, Bastien, as he was known to his friends, never lost sight of his origins, and would travel to his small home town at least twice a year, and bring gifts, and whatever joy he could to the orphanage he'd grown up in. It was during one of those trips, where he met Adrienne, a fellow orphan, and the woman who would soon become his wife.

They met on the town market, and their love was ignited, and exploded into a raging bonfire at first sight. Mere weeks later, they were married in a small ceremony, attended only by the priest, and Bertrand. Some time later, Adrienne revealed her true nature as a witch to her husband, who did not care even the slightest bit, that his wife was not a regular human.

Adrienne told Bastien, who had insisted Bertrand be included in their conversation, all she knew of the magical world, much to the two men's delight. Less than a year after they were married, a son was born, and they named him Jean-Luc, who displayed an affinity for magic very early on.

At eleven years old, Jean-Luc was enrolled into Beuxbatons, where he excelled in his studies. He became a leader within the school, and involved himself in most matters, that had to do with the student body. He was known to be very open minded, (a trait no doubt passed to him by his father), and to dislike bullies with a passion, and was more than once disciplined for taking matters into his own hands. Jean-Luc calmed down as the years went by, and as soon as he graduated, he joined the French DMLE, much to his father's disappointment, who'd hoped his son would manage the vineyard, once he retired.

As expected, Jean-Luc rose quickly through the ranks, and reached a captain's position faster than anyone before him. Because of his views, he would often be sent by his government as a liaison between them, and minorities. Such as the Veela.

The Veela, a race of enchantingly beautiful women who were rumoured, to have evolved from the Sirens of the Ancient World, were strong magic users, and had a number of inherent abilities, such as the ability to form and throw fireballs with their hands, as well as shapeshift into an avian creature when greatly threatened. And of course their beauty, and Allure, which could be used to enchant others.

Desired by men (and some women) of all stations, wars were fought over the affections and, sometimes, ownership of these women. Some historians went so far, as to maintain that Helen of Troy had been a Veela. In the end, they were forced to hide, and ultimately, they formed several hidden enclaves in the lands surrounding the Aegean Sea; the regions of Anatolia and Thrace, and the Grecian empire, to name a few.

The communities were always led by a matron, the oldest Veela living in each of the enclaves. In time, many Veela migrated toward the Mediterranean, and established settlements in Spain and France.

A year after Jean-Luc became captain, an Auror came upon the gruesome murder of a pair of young Veela girls, barely fifteen years of age. A third one had been kidnapped, and a ransom had been demanded. Deciding to take on the investigation himself, Jean-Luc had travelled to the French Veela enclave, and sought an audience with Matron Célia, in order to inform her of the murders of the two women, and reassure her that he was doing everything in his power to find the third one, Amélie.

The meeting had gone well, for the most part, and the matron had been impressed with the young man. Especially his open mind, and the need to find justice for her young women. And of course, his apparent immunity to he Veela Allure. A most impressive feat, and highly desirable in a possible mate.

Wanting to keep well informed of the progress of the investigation, Matron Célia decided to send her own daughter with Jean-Luc. The young captain refused at first, but when Apolline joined them in the audience chamber, he finally understood what his father had meant, when he'd told him he had fallen in love with his mother Adrienne, at first sight.

Needless to say, Jean-Luc was more than willing to have her accompany him, and even more so when he found Apolline to be more than his match intellectually, and when it came to magical prowess, she was his equal. Matron Célia was most satisfied with what she'd seen, and hoped dearly her gambit would work out to her satisfaction. Or her daughter’s, as the case might be. She was certain the two of them would return Amélie safely to her home, and hopefully, they would find love, along the way.

And love they did find. After a few weeks, Amélie was rescued, and sent back home, alone. Apolline had fallen deeply in love with her partner, and wanted nothing more, than to spend the rest of her life with him. Her mother was exceedingly happy with how things had progressed, and soon the pair moved in together.Célia was deliriously happy when she discovered Apolline was pregnant, and after a full term, her daughter gave birth to a healthy girl. True, Fleur was technically only a quarter Veela, but that was no matter, Veela always bred true.

Then, some years later, Célia was invited to Jean-Luc's and Apolline's home, where she was told her son in law had become the new head of the DMLE, which the matron honestly felt was long overdue, and was quite happy to learn of it. The joyful news did not stop there, however, as Apolline revealed her second pregnancy to her mother, who was struck speechless. Her race had severe problems with fertility, and as a result, one child was a blessing. A second child? Now, that was a miracle. And six months later, the bundle of joy that was Gabrielle was born.

000000

Apolline and Jean-Luc Delacour rose from their seats when their daughters emerged from the doorway, and the eldest Veela embraced her daughter in a manner that seemed a very agitated, in Fleur's opinion. Her father embraced her as well, just as anxious as his wife, though most people would not have noticed.

Fleur had always been able to read her father easily enough, thanks to her inherent abilities. Always the gentleman, he took her hand, led her to the table, and pulled back her chair. Once they were all seated, he poured his daughter a small glass of a very good _Cabarnet Sauvignon._ Fleur took a sip, and savoured the rich taste for a moment, before taking another one.

Jean-Luc cleared his throat. “So, Fleur, what was so important you had to rush out of the house? I hope Voldemort has not tightened his hold on Britain, any further?”

Fleur shook her head. “ _Non_ , _Papa._ In fact, he was dealt a decisive blow yesterday, one which I do not believe he will recover from for a while, if at all. Not that it makes him any less dangerous, of course.”

Everyone at the table looked a little relieved, at hearing that. But they all knew Fleur well enough to know there was more, something even more momentous, than what she'd just told them. Jean-Luc rubbed his chin as he pondered what it might be, but could honestly not think of a single thing more important, than striking back at Voldemort with some strength. Apolline and Gabrielle, however kept their eyes on Fleur, who became a little uncomfortable. Then, Apolline made a sudden leap of logic. Could it be?

“Fleur?” Apolline prodded her daughter, and Gabby placed a hand on her sister's arm in support. Fleur smiled a little sadly at her family, before taking a deep breath.

“Harry has resurfaced, and he's alright.”

Her father's eyes widened at that, and Apolline's hand went to her mouth. Gabrielle, however squealed in delight, and threw her arms around her sister, laughing joyously. While Gabrielle had in time, overcome her infatuation with Harry, as well as her hero worship, she still regarded him as her own personal hero, seeing as he had saved her life in the Tri-Wizard.

The fact she had never actually been in any danger, did not factor in the youngest Delacour's mind. Harry had believed her life was in danger, and taken steps to ensure her survival. This had endeared Harry to Fleur, and indeed her whole family. Jean-Luc was deep in thought. He was an outspoken supporter of the French taking an active part in the war, to help their brethren across The Channel. He had tried telling his fellow wizards that Voldemort would not be satisfied with just Britain, but even so, the fat _bâtards_ of the senate were not to be moved. 

Some men, men he suspected were sympathetic to Voldemort's agenda, had even voiced the possibility of appeasement, should Voldemort reach across to France. Jean-Luc repressed a disgusted snort, as he turned to his older daughter. 

“Am I correct in assuming, that Mr. Potter had something to do with this victory, against the enemy?”

Fleur nodded. “He was almost solely responsible, _papa_.”

“And may I ask how?”

At that, Fleur frowned at her father, which in and of itself was an unusual thing, because their relationship was, and always had been, excellent. Apolline reached across the table to grab her daughter's hand, and run her thumb across her knuckles.

“What has you so scared, Fleur? You have won a victory against the darkness. It should be a time of celebration,” Apolline said, and smiled at her daughter in a way she felt was a heartening one.

Fleur blew out the breath she'd been holding, and closed her eyes in silent contemplation. She could tell them, but she required a certain something one usually did not demand of their family. She opened her eyes once more, and turned her gaze upon each of her family members as she rose from her chair. She motioned for them to follow her, which they did, after sharing uneasy glances.

Fleur was not one to be grim, so whatever it was had to be extremely serious. The three quickly followed her to Jean-Luc's study, and once they were all inside, Fleur closed the door, and began casting a long series of privacy charms, some of which even the head of the French DMLE had never heard of. She finally blocked off the Floo, for good measure. It all made her father extremely uneasy.

“Fleur-”

She ignored him. “If you wish to learn more, I am going to require all of you to make an oath upon your magic, never to reveal anything I tell you to anyone, outside of this room, unless I or Harry permit it.”

Apolline, and and Jean-Luc were shocked into silence, and turned to look at each other, not quite knowing how to react to such a demand from their daughter. Gabrielle, however immediately drew her wand to recite an oath, and her tip glowed for a moment. She quickly cast a _Lumos_ _,_ to affirm her sincerity.

“Gabrielle!” her father exclaimed, before he turned a furious glare toward his older daughter, but his anger was nothing compared to the raging fury he saw in his wife's eyes, as she stormed toward Fleur who, to her credit, stood firm. Her eyes were fiery, and Jean-Luc could see their hands start to clench. He swiftly clasped a hand on his wife's shoulder, and turned toward Gabrielle, who was staring at the other three people in the room.

“What could have possessed you to make such a foolish vow, Gabrielle?” Jean-Luc demanded. “One misplaced word, and you could lose your magic!”

Gabrielle made her way to stand in front of Fleur and levelled a strong look at her parents. “I trust my sister and if she believes this is necessary, I will do so, and so should you. We all know Fleur would not make such a demand, if she didn't think we had to.”

Fleur put her hand on Gabrielle's shoulder, and gave her a grateful hug. “I must insist _Papa_ and _Maman._ If this knowledge reaches the wrong hands, it will be catastrophic.”

Her parents shared a long look, before finally relenting, and taking a similar oath as Gabrielle had done, earlier. Once that was done, Fleur marched to her father's desk, and withdrew his small Pensieve. It was not as large, nor as ornate as the one in Minerva's office, but it had all the same features.

Fleur wondered if it was simply a matter of age, as she suspected the other one to be ancient. She motioned for the others to gather around the bowl, and placed her wand to her temple, and placed a long silver strand into the liquid. She then tapped her wand on the right runes, and the memory started playing from the moment Minerva placed those thrice cursed items on her desk.

000000

_Horcruxes..._ Apolline sank down into the sofa by the wall, to the right of the door. She felt drained, disgusted. To think that anyone, even one as insane as Voldemort could do such a despicable thing. As a witch with great knowledge of charms and curses, (she had been the one to ignite Fleur's passion for the subject), she knew exactly what a person must do, to create one of those abominations.

She was immensely glad to know, that knowledge of these things was extremely limited. She glanced at her husband, who was in similar state, though much better composed, as he had, inevitably, perhaps, always been better at dealing with his emotions.

She watched as Gabrielle's face morphed into a mask of obvious revulsion, when her sister explained to her what those things were. Then, there was Mr. Potter. She vividly remembered the young man she had met, before the third task of that infernal tournament. He'd been small for his age, and a little timid, but courteous, and respectful. The man she'd seen in Fleur's memory could not even be called human.

“So,” her husband began. “What has Mr. Potter done to himself?”

Fleur shook her head. “I don't know, _Papa._ He has not told us. There's another meeting tomorrow morning, where I suspect he will tell us.”

“And, presumably reveal the nature of the last Horcrux.”

“I imagine so, yes.”

“I must say, I find it strange Mr. Potter chose to reveal himself before destroying the last Horcrux. Surely, he runs the risk of Voldemort retrieving it, before he gets his hands on it.”

Fleur nodded. “I suspect most of us who were at the meeting did, once we'd had some time think it over, _Papa_.”

“Unless he already has it in his possession, but hasn't been able to destroy it,” Apolline supplied helpfully.

“I suppose that's a possibility,” Fleur agreed.

Jean-Luc slowly walked over to the sofa, sat down beside his wife, and took her hand in his. This changed things quite a bit. Revealing Mr. Potter's return to the _Sénat_ might shake some sense into those brain dead fools, over there. In fact, it might be a fine idea to head to the office, and call a meeting of some of his allies in the government, and tell them about Mr. Potter's return. Yes, he would do so. Tonight. He turned to his wife.

“My love, I-”

Apolline smiled knowingly at him. “Go, Jean-Luc. The iron must be struck while it's hot, _non_?”

He kissed his wife on the cheek, and then bid his daughters farewell, after assuring them he'd be back before morning.

Once he'd left, Apolline ushered her younger daughter upstairs, while her eldest went back out on the balcony, her mind drifting as she poured herself another glass of the excellent wine, from before. She took a long draw from the glass, and sighed as she could literally feel the calming effects of the wine coarse through her body. She'd always found good wine an effective way, to relieve stress.

A small flower captured her attention, and she gently traced the petals with her finger, before she picked it loose, and brought it to her nose to inhale the scent. How simple, the existence of a flower had to be. It was just _there_. No worries or responsibilities, nothing, except nature's intentions. She put the flower onto the railing, and turned around when she heard her mother come out onto the balcony once more, with a strained expression on her face.

“How is Gabrielle?” Fleur asked, and sat down at the table.

Her mother poured the rest of the wine into a glass and took a long sip. “Worried, disgusted, horrified. It's difficult to say which one. Most likely it's all of the above.”

“I can imagine.”

A long silence settled over them, both women lost in their thoughts. After a while, Fleur got up, and began pacing the length of the balcony slowly, rubbing her upper arms with some force. Apolline eyed her for a while, before she made her way over to the railing to pick up the flower Fleur had been holding earlier. She knew her daughter was upset, and no wonder.

Not many would be unaffected by what she'd learned. Again, Apoline knew her daughter well enough to understand there was something more troubling her. And she was fairly certain she knew what it was. Her daughter was miserable, and had been for some time now. She'd been waiting for Fleur to come talk with her, but it seemed she was reluctant to do so.

“What is it, Fleur? What has made you so sad?”

The younger woman sighed softly, and sat down again, and put her head in her hands for a moment. “I hardly know where to start, _Maman_ _._ You know William and I have been having problems, and it has finally reached a point, where I have decided to call off the engagement.”

Apolline reached across the table, and squeezed her daughter’s hand. While it certainly wasn't anything she had not expected, she hated seeing Fleur so painfully sad.

“Well, perhaps it is for the best, then,” Apolline said.

“I just feel so terrible, _Maman._ They are such good people, the Weasleys.” Fleur's gaze fell onto the the table.

Apolline nodded at her daughter, knowing she'd be like that, the kind soul that she was. Still, it would not do for her to take all of the blame for this. If there was any blame to be had at all. Sometimes, things simply did not work out.

“Were you going to marry _all_ of the Weasleys, Fleur?”

“What?” Fleur asked incredulously. “No, of course not! Don't be silly.”

Apolline cocked an eyebrow. “Then this is between you and William, and no one else. But there is more, isn't there?”

“ _Oui_.” Fleur was quiet for a moment, before she continued on. “He was a boy, the last time I saw him, _Maman_.”

“Was he?” Apolline asked, knowing exactly whom her daughter was referring to. “I seem to recall seeing a young _man,_ who'd duelled the darkest of dark lords, and escaped. Not only that, but he managed to bring back the body of his friend, allowing his family to bury, and properly grieve for their son. Those were not the actions of a boy, Fleur.”

Fleur stared at the sky for a while before answering. “I don't know what to do. I saw him once, and it set off something in me I cannot explain. But more than that... **_She_** is reacting to him as well.”

Apolline smiled knowingly. At last, her daughter was seeing things clearly. “This surprises you? It does run in the family, you know. On both sides. And if _**she** _has set her sights on him as well, then this can work very well, Fleur.”

“Well, I never thought-”

Fleur was interrupted by an alarm from the Floo, which surprised the pair of them quite a bit, given it was after eleven in the evening. They quickly made their way into her father's study, to find a goblin waiting patiently in the Floo. While Fleur recognized the goblin, she didn't know him at all. He had a twin brother, didn't he? Again, she was uncertain; these days, she spent most of her time in Egypt with William, working as a curse breaker.

“Mr. Guybrush?”

The goblin grinned at her. “It's Threepwood actually, Miss Delacour.” The goblin inclined his head at her mother. “Mrs. Delacour, it's good to see you this night. I apologize for calling so late, but there's something I require your daughter's help with, and I believe it may be exceedingly urgent.”

“You need me to join you, at Gringotts?” Fleur asked.

“Yes. As soon as possible. Preferably right now.”

Fleur turned to her mother. “I think I had better go, _Maman._ If they're calling us this late, it must be truly important.”

Apolline nodded at her daughter, and embraced her firmly. “Go. I'll let your father, and sister know where you've gone.” And with that, Fleur entered the Floo, and disappeared.

000000

Threepwood led Fleur down a deserted hallway. They had travelled deep into Gringotts's bowels, and eventually, they came upon a room she knew was reserved for only the most important meetings. It was the best warded room in the bank, aside from the very oldest vaults. They entered the room, and Fleur discovered a pair of goblins inside. One was obviously Threepwood's brother, Guybrush and the other one was Griphook, a high ranking official she'd seen a few times, but never spoken with.

What really made Fleur uncomfortable was the presence of Andromeda and Narcissa Black. This was all very cloak and dagger, and she was very nervous. She did not know, of course what this was all about, but given her profession, she understood it had to have something to do with curses, and considering the timing, and what had been happening over the past two days, she could only deduce that Harry was involved, somehow. Of course, the presence of the Black sisters, all but confirmed it. Then, she noticed a large piece of parchment on the long conference table. When she studied it further, she recognized it.

“This is the new excavation they started in Egypt a while ago! But why call for me? Surely there are other, more qualified people available,” Fleur said, confused.

“The sisters Black requested your presence. Now, take a seat, please, Miss Delacour,” Griphook said, and motioned to a chair at the table, next to Narcissa.

“Now that we're all here, please close the door, and activate the wards, Guybrush. We do not want to be disturbed.”

Griphook looked over his glasses at Fleur for a moment. Finally, he cleared his throat. “Miss Delacour, I wish to ask you. What do you know about Horcruxes?”

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Hermione was sitting at the kitchen table of the Burrow, reading the notes Narcissa had given her earlier for the fourth time. This was... Had Harry actually written this? Well, Hermione was fairly certain Narcissa had helped him a bit, despite her claim otherwise. She was extremely sharp, after all. But the idea that Harry Potter, the very average student had written this, seemed almost impossible to her.

She'd always known Harry was smart, and it did not surprise her to learn, that he had finally harnessed his intelligence when he didn't have her at his side to rely on. She was glad of it. She heard someone come down the stairs, and eventually, Ron came stumbling into the kitchen, bleary eyed, and half asleep by the look of things.

“Hermione, you're not coming to bed?”

She tilted her head, and looked at him. “But it's only...” She looked at the clock and noted it was well after midnight. Had she really been reading this for three hours? She looked back at Ron, who was now busying himself with the left overs from supper.

Hermione stared down onto the parchment, once more with a deep longing. It was almost as if Harry had looked into her very soul, and put to parchment everything she wanted to accomplish, once this war was over. It also represented the only way she could perceive, leading to a lasting peace. The only problem was, she didn't see just how he meant to accomplish all this.

“Ron, have you read this?” she asked her boyfriend, and tapped the parchment with her finger.

“I glanced at it,” Ron said without looking at her.

“You haven't read it, then. I asked you to read it with your father, Ron,” Hermione said in a frustrated voice.

He looked at her, then at the notes, and scowled darkly. “No, I didn't read it, Hermione. Why would I even bother? I reckon you're going to tell me just how great it is, how amazing, and smart the great, wonderful Harry _bloody_ Potter is.”

Hermione stared at Ron incredulously. What had brought this on? Harry had just returned to them, and not only that, he'd saved dozens of people, the day before. Then she remembered Moody's declaration, after the confrontation with Riddle. It had been so long since Ron had shown any of his jealous tendencies, she'd almost forgotten about them. Hermione sighed deeply. She had honestly thought he'd finally outgrown it.

“Oh, Ron, do not do this. Not now,” she pleaded.

“Do what?” Ron tried to sound ignorant. Naturally, Hermione saw through it at once.

“Don't give me that, Ronald Bilius Weasley. You know precisely what I am talking about!”

“I do not,” Ron said angrily, and was clearly being wilfully obtuse.

“You're jealous,” Hermione bit out. “Harry finally comes back, and suddenly, you're acting like you did in fourth year, when his name came out of the Goblet. I cannot _believe_ you would do this again.”

“Well, I'm not the one who disappeared for two years without so much as a word to anyone!”

Hermione quickly cast a silencing spell, so that they would not wake up everyone else. “Ron,” she began softly. “This isn't about Harry's disappearance. You're just angry, because Moody wants to make Harry the leader of the Order. I know you wanted it, don't deny it.”

Ron threw the fork he was holding into the sink, and stared at Hermione. “And why shouldn't I be angry? What gives him the right to march in here after two years, and demand to become our leader? People are falling all over themselves to please him. Even McGonagall, and it nearly got her killed,” Ron said disgustedly. “And Lupin did die!”

Hermione took offence on Harry's behalf at that last bit. “He demanded no such thing, Ronald. I shall be very surprised if he accepts the position. And if people are doing as he asks, then it's because they trust him. What happened to Remus was a tragedy, but people die in war, we all know that.”

“Sure we do, but how well did following Potter's orders work out for McGonagall, eh?” Ron asked smugly.

Disgusted, Hermione threw up her hands, and turned around, trying to calm down, but it wasn't working. She turned back toward Ron with an angry expression on her face. ”And how were we supposed to know what lay in store? They had to have been looking out for anyone disillusioned. No one looks at a cat, Ron, and Professor McGonagall knew that. It was a good plan that failed.”

Ron was furious. Hermione was _his_ girlfriend. She was supposed to support him, not defend the other guy. “Why are you defending him? You are just as angry as I am, about him leaving!”

Hermione rolled her eyes at that, and marched over to the kitchen table to grab Harry's notes, as well as her own scribbled extras. She carefully rolled them up again, before turning to Ron, who was scowling at her.

“I was, but I moved on from it months ago, and decided to allow Harry to explain his reasons to me, if I was ever given the chance to speak to him, again. I'm going to bed, but you're sleeping on the sofa tonight, Ronald, and every night until you decide to grow up,” she said with some finality.

“And do not even _think_ you're going to join Harry and me tomorrow. I'm going to meet my best friend properly for the first time in two years, and I will not have you ruin it with your juvenile insecurities.” And with that, she cancelled the silencing charm, and stormed out of the kitchen trampled up the stairs, leaving behind a seething Ron.

000000

Harry, and Bellatrix entered Andie's home shortly before eight o'clock, and found the house empty. They ventured into the kitchen, and found a note where Andie and Cissy asked Bella to meet them at Gringotts, as soon as she arrived at Nr. 45. Further, they asked Harry not to worry, and go to Hogwarts to meet with his friends, and that they would be there in time for the meeting.

“Why don't you use the Floo, Harry,” Bella said. “It should open now.” Without waiting for an answer, she quit the house and Apparated to Diagon Alley.

Harry was left alone in the house, and he scowled at the fireplace for a few moments. Eventually, he took a deep breath, and grabbed a handful of Floo powder from the clay jar. He threw it into the grate, and stepped in, and disappeared in a green flash after he'd shouted his destination. Hermione, and Minerva nearly had a heart attack, when a large man came sliding face down out of the Floo in Minerva's office. The man, who they realized was actually Harry, rolled over onto his back, and groaned defeatedly while staring at the ceiling.

“There's something wrong with me, I'm telling you,” Harry said, and pressed the heels of his hands to his eyes. “Superhuman strength, speed and agility, and I _still_ can't Floo properly. I must have some kind of disability,” he mumbled as he scrambled to his feet. He pointed at Hermione, who was staring at him with an amused expression. Minerva was trying to hold in her laughter, as well as maintain her usual stern expression, with rather mixed results.

“I've discovered a new magical malady,” Harry declared ostentatiously. “ _Magitravellicus Terribilus._ Make sure you write down the name, time and date, Hermione. It's a historic moment,” Harry exclaimed, and thrust a finger into the air.

As soon as he stopped talking, both women burst out laughing, and Harry couldn't help but chuckle along. As soon as he'd quit the Floo, he'd felt a slightly heavy atmosphere in the room, and he was glad to lift their spirits a little.

“Good morning, you two,” Harry said, and smiled at the women, who greeted him in return.

Minerva made her way over to her lover, and kissed him lightly on the lips. Harry, not satisfied with such a chaste kiss, pulled her to him, and kissed her with a passion, and the woman in his arms arched her body into him. A few seconds later, Minerva took a couple of deep breaths to calm herself, before she suggested the younger two go up to her quarters, to have their talk.

“Harry, why don't you and Miss Granger go to my quarters and speak there? You'll have more privacy up there. I expect people will no doubt start arriving soon.”

“Thank you, Minerva,” Harry said, and grabbed the hand of his best friend, who looked almost catatonic. He led her up the stairs, and into the common room of Minerva's quarters, where he sat her down.

“What just happened Harry?” Hermione asked when she'd gathered herself.

“Minerva and I shared a kiss.”

His friend gave him a deadpan look “Are you trying to become some sort of Sheik? Professor McGonagall, and _all_ the Black sisters?”

At that point, Harry had become quite embarrassed. “I honestly don't know what to tell you, Hermione. It's so strange. It just happened, I guess? I saved Cissy that night at the manor, and I couldn't get her out of my mind. Then I rescued Bella, and brought her to Andie and... Look, Andie thinks it may have something to do with magic.”

“Soul magic, then.” Hermione stated.

“That'd be my guess, but soul magic isn't an exact science,” Harry replied, and sat down in the sofa, next to his friend. “I couldn't help but notice Ron isn't here.”

Hermione stared into the fire for a while, and her expression became troubled. “Can I assume you've not met Moody since Hogsmeade, then?”

Harry didn't understand. “Yeah, that's right, I haven't. What's that got to do with Ron's absence?”

“He wants you to become the leader of the Order, Harry.”

Now, that rang the bells in Harry's head. A few memories from fourth year resurfaced, and he understood why his supposed friend wasn't there. “Ron's jealous, then,” Harry said, a little frustrated and very disappointed. “Well, he can have the Order, Hermione. I certainly don't want it.”

Hermione placed a hand on Harry's arm, and squeezed it lightly. “I know, Harry. But you know as well as I do that if you tell Ron he can have it, he'll be even more angry, and rant for an hour on how he doesn't need your charity.”

They sat in silence for a while, before Harry grabbed her hands in her own, and stared into her eyes, and the intensity of it caught Hermione by surprise. She stared at his eyes, and again found herself wondering, just what he'd done to himself.

“What in Merlin's name made you think pursuing a relationship with Ronald Weasley, was a good idea?”

Hermione leaned back at that. How had Harry known about that? Well, someone had obviously told him, and it made her a little irritated. She'd wanted to tell him herself. “Who told you?”

“No one told me, 'Mione. All my senses have been greatly enhanced, and I can smell him on you, but we'll talk more about that later. Tell me, Hermione, do you honestly think Ronald will be there to support you, when your career takes of? I know it won't matter what you choose to do with your life, you have the ability to go as far as you want to, and I'm hoping to help you get there.”

“Well, Harry, I want to help you change things around Britain, to achieve the things you wrote in your notes. What you've written on that parchment, is practically my dream.”

Harry noted that Hermione had not answered his question about Ron, but decided to drop it for now, and smiled. “So, Cissy gave you a copy of the parchment, then. What do you think?”

“It's overly ambitious, but overall, I think it's great, Harry. We all need to work together if we're to achieve a lasting peace. The only way for that to happen, is for everyone to have a voice in the government.”

Harry nodded. “Exactly, and I believe you're integral to that end, Hermione.”

His friend was shocked, to say the least. “Me? Why me, Harry?”

“I'll tell you all about it later, alright? After the meeting, I'd like you, Cissy and Mr. Weasley to stay behind. There's something I need to discuss with you, and it ties directly into this, and I don't see the need to go through it twice. Look, I haven't met you in almost two years, Hermione, and I don't fancy spending all the time we have to ourselves talking about something we'll be discussing later anyway, so let's talk about something else.”

000000

After almost an hour, and a half, there was a knock on the door, and Bellatrix strode into the room, followed by her sisters, Minerva, and Fleur. They were all rather excited, but Fleur was wearing an expression of anger, and sorrow. At what, Harry wasn't sure, but he assumed she wasn't angry at him, since she marched right to him, and yanked him out of the sofa, before throwing her arms around him. Harry was a bit taken aback, but wrapped his own arms around her waist.

“What is it, Fleur?”

“How have you managed to carry this burden all this time, without going insane?” she mumbled. “These things are so utterly tainted with evil, I cannot imagine anyone withstanding it.”

Harry looked over at the four other women, and Narcissa nodded slightly. Fleur knew, then. Oh, well, she would've learned of it in less than an hour, anyway. He was aware of Hermione's piercing eyes upon them, and released Fleur, and backed away a step.

“What's going on, Harry?” Hermione asked in a small voice. The tone of her voice told Harry she had already connected all the right dots in her clever mind, and was simply asking for confirmation of her fears. He led his French friend to the sofa, and sat her down, before sitting himself on the coffee table.

“The last Horcrux is in here, Hermione,” Harry said, and tapped his chest. “It's been in here since I was fifteen months old. By now, it's become as much a part of me as my arms or feet.”

Hermione sat in horror induced silence for a few moments, before her eyes hardened, and she stared firmly at Harry. “Then we'll remove it. Every ritual has a counter measure. All we need to do, is find it.”

“Hermione-” Harry began.

“No! I refuse to believe it cannot be removed. Now, shut up, Harry. I'm thinking.”

“ _Je suis d'accord avec elle._ Harry do be quiet.” Fleur said, and nailed Harry with a stern look.

Bellatrix laughed out loud at Harry's lack of response, and grinned at the bushy haired girl, and the Veela. “Oh, I like them, Harry. They've got spirit.” She turned to her sisters, and Minerva with a hopeful expression. “Can we please spend more time with them? I'm sure we'll get on famously. Oh, and since Hedwig can't speak, Hermione, and Fleur can tell us how to have Harry do as he's told.”

Narcissa grinned at her sister in return. “Oh, I rather think we should.” Minerva and Andie supported that idea whole heartedly.

Harry was not quite certain what was going on, but at least understood when he was hopelessly outmatched, and outnumbered. He noticed Narcissa holding a folder in her hand, that was marked with a Gringotts seal.

“What do you have there, Narcissa?”

The woman in question shooed Harry of the table, and Bellatrix conjured another sofa, along with a couple of stuffed chairs, that she placed around the table. Once that was done, Narcissa removed the contents of the folder, a single parchment, and placed it on the table. Harry realized was a map of some sort, or perhaps they were blueprints. Narcissa waved her wand over the parchment, and it reverted back to it's original size.

“This is a new excavation Gringotts has undertaken in Egypt,” Fleur said as she leaned over, and watched her friend's eyes roam the map.

“That's very interesting and all, but I fail to see what it has to do with my problem.”

“Harry, Gringotts believes this may be the tomb of the warlock who created the Horcrux ritual,” Fleur said.

Harry was silent for a little while as he pondered this new information. “The timing is rather interesting, wouldn't you say?” he remarked to the gathered women.

“Yes, it is,” Hermione agreed. “Any thoughts on that?” she asked, and turned to Fleur, who simply shrugged, and pointed at Narcissa.

“I asked Griphook, but I'm afraid he could not elaborate any further on that, Miss Granger. It seems like a coincidence,” Narcissa said.

Minerva scoffed at that. “Coincidence is not a word I would use, when talking about anything relating to Harry James Potter, Narcissa,” the Headmistress said with a exasperated expression.

Harry turned to Fleur. “So what now?”

“Well, it is a new discovery, and they have barely ventured into the tomb itself, but they believe it is quite large, and absolutely riddled with traps, if the warnings in the entrance hall are anything to go by.”

Hermione ran the fingertips of one hand over the map, before she sent Fleur a quizzical look. “So this what they believe the layout _may_ be like?”

“Yes, exactly,” Fleur said with a nod, before turning to Harry. “There's a problem, though. With a tomb like this, it can take months, sometimes even years to make them safe enough to explore, and until they are, they are closed to anyone, aside from a curse breaker with the proper clearance.”

“I can't wait that long, Fleur. _Britain_ cannot wait that long,” Harry said.

“We know that, Harry,” Andie chided him softly. “And Griphook knows that as well, which is why he contacted the director of Gringotts Britain, Mr. LeChuck, and convinced him to grant us access to the tomb. Unfortunately, he was only willing to give access for three people, and a curse breaker.”

Harry let out a long breath, and, as he so often did, ran a hand through his hair. “This changes things. We're going to have to move our plans up a bit.”

“Yes, I'd think so, Harry,” Narcissa said, and stood up. “For now, however, we are late for the meeting, so I suggest we get to it.”

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Harry stood beside Minerva, who was sitting at her desk, and gazed over the gathering with a satisfied look; everyone he wanted to be there had come. He noted that Hermione, and Fleur did not stand anywhere close to Bill and Ron, preferring the company of the Black sisters. Tonks stood next to her mother, who had a hand around her waist, and held her close. Harry made a point of speaking to Tonks, soon. He knew it would take some time, but she would be alright. She was strong, and she'd have her mother to help her through the rough spots. He'd be there too, of course, if she'd let him.

With a slight frown, Harry noted Ronald standing in the back, close to the door, as if he hadn't wanted to be there. So, it wasn't just that Ron was a jealous berk. With the occasional dirty look he'd give Hermione, and by how Ron would avoid his gaze, Harry realized the pair of them had fought the day before. Well, after this, he might have quite a few more things to be envious about. Thing was, Harry didn't care anymore. If Ron refused to grow up, then he'd be left behind, it was that simple. The bloody git had better not drag Hermione down too far, before she finally decided he wasn't worth it.

“Good morning, everyone. I've asked you to come here today, because I wanted to finish our discussion from the other day. The last time, we were interrupted right after I had shown you my discussion with the Black sisters. This time, I've decided not to use the Pensieve, and simply go over everything very roughly, alright?”

And so Harry began his tale, and told them about how he'd been kidnapped by Fawkes, and brought to Gryffindor's stronghold, and his meeting with the Founder. He quickly assured everyone he would eventually take them there, and offered it as a possible HQ for the Order. Then he got to the Potion, and described what it was. As he suspected, Ronald was very keen on getting his hands on it, and began pestering him about it, even after Hermione was done echoing Andie's reaction to his use of the potion, despite the fact that Harry had not revealed how he'd almost died.

“Do you know the recipe? Is there any more of it? C'mon Potter, tell me,” Ron demanded and made his way to the front.

Harry sighed. “No, Ron. The recipe died with Gryffindor, and I destroyed the only other vial. It's gone.”

Ron was absolutely livid. “Why the bloody hell did you do that for? I, that is _we_ could have used that in the war, Potter!” he snarled.

“Language, Ronald!” Molly berated him. Ron ignored his mother, however.

“Can you imagine what we could do, with more people with all these abilities?”

Harry clenched his fists, and tried to rein in his temper, but failed. “Yes, I can, but I would never have given that thing to you, Ron,” he snapped.

“Why the fuck not?”

“Ronald Weasley!” Molly screeched, and apologized profusely to Minerva.

The Weasley matron was clearly becoming quite angry with her son. Arthur also looked like he was ready to step in, because Ron's ears were starting to go red, a sure sign that he was losing it. Harry found it rather interesting, that Hermione had evidently decided to stay out of it.

“I wouldn't give it to you, Weasley, because even if you managed to survive the transformation, the spirits in that potion would eat up your sanity, and crap it out faster than my cousin Dudley, does his breakfast. And then, I'd have to put you down like a rabid dog.”

Ron was practically frothing at the mouth, by now. “You just didn't want anyone outshining you! You were a scrawny, weak little twat! If you could handle it, I could have, too!”

Harry simply shook his head. “Physical prowess has nothing to do with overcoming the spirits, Weasley. It's about willpower, and self discipline, and unfortunately, you don't have any. In fact, Minerva's probably the only person in this room I'd ever consider giving it to. I don't think I've ever met a person with more self discipline. Moody perhaps, but he'd never survive the transformation.”

Before Ron could keep arguing, Fred dropped him with a stunner, and he crashed to the floor. “Sorry about him, Harry, dear,” Molly said, as she levitated him to an unused sofa. “We'll just let him sleep, then,” she declared as she lowered him onto the sofa with less care than Harry felt she could have used. “We may even finish this meeting that way,” she finally muttered, when she rejoined her husband.

Harry raised an eyebrow at that, but did not comment, and resumed his tale. He told them about the visions sent by Fawkes. Hermione was very interested in learning more about the sphere, and how it worked. When Harry came to his rescue of Lupin, he glanced over at Tonks, who told him to continue the tale, that she wanted to hear about it, from his point of view.

Harry did, and told them how he'd destroyed the Horcrux in Hufflepuff's cup the same way he'd done Slytherin's locket. He could see Hermione wanted to ask something, but he asked her to wait until he was done.

The twins and Arthur were especially thrilled, when he told them he'd ridden Sirius' charmed motorcycle all the way to Albania. He only lightly touched on any dangers, since he was getting tired of being scolded by the women in the room. Eventually, he got to the attack on Bullswick, and the fight with the giant but did not go into any detail, and finally, he wound the tale down with the destroying of Rowena's diadem.

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“Any questions?” Harry asked, and leaned against Minerva's desk. Naturally, he knew Hermione had a thousand questions, and she was practically vibrating. But before she could say anything, Bill decided to ask a question that was had been troubling him, ever since he saw the memory of Harry destroying the Horcrux in Slytherin's locket.

“How is it that you're able to destroy a Horcrux without destroying the container, when Professor Dumbledore had to destroy the gem in Gaunt's ring to get rid of that one?”

“I don't think he did, Bill,” Harry said, and picked up the ring from Minerva's desk. She had placed all the Horcruxes on the table as before.

“What do you mean?” Bill asked a little lost. “The gem is clearly cracked.”

“You're assuming the ring was whole, when Riddle created that Horcrux,” Bellatrix said. “If my time at that bastard's side taught me anything, it's that he's proud, petty and vindictive. It would not surprise me in the least to learn he'd broken the thing, before he used it in the ritual. Merope's father treated his daughter horribly, and I can see Riddle getting a little payback that way.”

“But why? Doesn't it weaken the item?” Mr. Weasley asked then.

Bill shook his head.“That's not really how it works, dad,” he told his father. “If the ring was like that when the soul piece was put in there, it would have to break even further, in order for it to escape. Anyway, the Horcrux is clearly not in the ring any more, and you say Dumbledore did not remove it, Harry?”

“I actually think Snape destroyed that one.”

“What! How!” almost everyone in the room exclaimed, with Snape being the loudest.

“Look, the soul is not a physical object, and cannot be destroyed via physical means, unless you have a Dementor around. The reason I could destroy the Horcrux in Riddle's diary, is because it was becoming a living entity by feeding off of Ginny's life force. It had nothing to do with the Basilisk poison. Had I been strong enough, I could have destroyed it with a kitchen knife.”

“What has that got to do with the ring, Potter?” Snape drawled from his corner.

“I'm getting to that, Snape,” Harry said and walked behind Minerva's desk and removed Gryffindor's sword from the display case and examined it closely and his eyes came to a stop on a small chip in the sword's edge. He was extremely careful not to cut himself.

“Here's an interesting fact, about this blade. I remember seeing a part of the Basilisk blood that coated the sword, seep into it when I lay dying in the Chamber, after being poisoned by the snake. Afterwards I was pretty confident I'd been hallucinating, and was sure it hadn't happened.”

“Potter-” Snape began.

Harry glared at the former potions teacher. “Snape, if you don't want to end up like Weasley over there, shut it!” The greasy git sneered at Harry, but did as he was told, amazingly enough. Every person in the room mentally froze the image in their heads. No one wanted to forget that moment.

“Anyway, I told Dumbledore about the sword, and he, as usual did not tell me anything. When I mentioned it to Gryffindor, he told me to be extra careful when handling the sword, since some goblin made weapons, this one included, have the ability to absorb some of the properties of the magical beasts slain with them.

I'm certain Dumbledore knew that, and he no doubt took the sword with him, and struck the ring with it. If you look closely, you can see the damage done to the blade, so obviously it did not work. Which is a good thing, actually, because if you destroy the container, the Horcrux can break loose. Where does it go? You can't see it, and these things can latch onto almost anything. That's what makes them so dangerous. They are practically impossible to destroy, safely.”

Harry put the sword back in the case, and closed it. “Anyway, then Dumbledore did the worst thing he could have. He picked it up, and put it on, and it will have attacked him immediately. Similar to the way the cup attacked Griphook. I just happened to arrive a few minutes after he picked up the cup, and so it did little damage. It nearly killed him, still.”

“His hand was black,” Snape said suddenly, and slowly made his way toward the table. “He told me he'd been cursed by some kind of trap, when he found the ring.”

“And you believed that?” Harry asked incredulously.

“Potter-”

“It doesn't matter,” Harry said with a wave of his hand. “I have no idea if all Horcruxes do it, but Riddle's try to entice you to pick them up, when you come near them, and then overtake your mind, once you do. After Dumbledore picked it up, he was unable to eject it. I suspect only I can do that, but we'll come to that.”

“But the professor was strong enough, that it could not overpower him,” Hermione reasoned.

“Yes,” Harry said, and nodded at his friend. “When its attack did not work, it poisoned the Headmaster in hopes of weakening his resolve. It may be a little morbid, but Snape actually did us a favour that night, when he killed Dumbledore. The old man was at the end of his rope, and would probably not have lasted the night.”

“So you can destroy them because of your condition, Harry?” Hermione asked.

“Yes, that's exactly it.”

“What condition is that, Potter?” Moody growled from a stuffed chair by the coffee table.

“You remember when I told you I was in possession of the last Horcrux?” Everyone nodded warily at that. “Well, it's in here,” Harry said, and pointed at his chest.

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Tonks marched to the desk, and stared at Harry. “What the bloody hell do you mean it's in there?” she asked, and poked Harry in the chest painfully as her eyes bored into his.

She slowly morphed into a dark haired, dark eyed beauty, that bore a startling resemblance to her mother, and Bellatrix. Harry assumed that was the biggest reason, why Tonks preferred to look completely different from her regular form. Now, to most everyone else, she looked angry, but all Harry could see was panic, and fear. Andie placed a hand on her shoulders, and squeezed tightly, ready to bring her into a hug.

“It's in my soul. It's been there since I was fifteen months old, Tonks. And because I've been subjected to its influence for so long, I've built a tolerance to their corruption.”

“How to you take care of those things?” she asked.

“I draw them in, and overload them with my love for you all. Riddle's soul is so black and vile, it cannot live in a container, that has even an sliver of love. Dumbledore told me the power Riddle knew not was love, and he was right, in a way. Of course, Riddle also created the very thing that will lead to his downfall.”

“And here?” Tonks asked softly, and placed a gentle hand on Harry's chest.

Harry shook his head. “No. That one isn't going anywhere, Nym. It's there to stay. And as far as anyone knows, the only way to remove a Horcrux from a living being is to kill it.”

“But Harry,” Hermione began, and ignored the shocked faces of most of the people in the room. “If Moody was able to kill Nagini, and destroy the Horcrux, that means anyone can destroy a Horcrux-”

Harry stopped his friend, with a raised hand. “Hermione, would you really be willing ask or force someone to allow a Horcrux to possess them, and then kill them? I'm not. And besides, can you do it right away, or would we have to wait for it to merge properly with the person? If that's the case, we'd have to keep it safe for a time. The variables are too many for it to be feasible. Besides, it's a moot point, now that they've all been destroyed.”

Tonks grabbed Harry's shirt, and yanked him down to her level. “How can you be so calm about this?!”

Harry pried Tonks' hands loose, and hugged her to him. “I've made my peace, Nym.” Harry said, when he released her. “But there is a chance it may not come to that.” Harry took out the map the others had brought earlier, and rolled it out on the table. “The supposed birthplace of the Horcruxes. Recently discovered, and known only to Gringotts, and now, us.”

Bill walked up to the desk, and examined the map closely. “I can see they've made very little headway into the tomb itself. Are you saying they are willing to allow you entry?”

“Yes. LeChuck has been made aware of what's going on, and has given permission for me, a curse breaker, and two others. I was going to request volunteers, actually.”

“I'm in,” Tonks said at once, and by the look on her face, Harry knew it would be useless to try, and talk her out of it.

“Nymphadora, it's too soon,” Andie said. “You need time to grieve.”

“No, Mum. I have to do this. I'll go insane with worry, otherwise. And don't use that name!”

Fleur approached, and stood beside Tonks. “You need a curse breaker, Harry. I will be it,” the French Veela said with finality.

Bill wasn't happy with that declaration. “Fleur, you can't make a decision like that, on your own. We need to talk about this.”

“He's right, Fleur. I thank you for the support, but please, do not rush into this. It will be extremely dangerous,” Harry said.

Fleur sent Harry her coldest look, and he almost froze to death. “Alright, I will talk with William, but I have made my decision. I am going, and that is final. Do not ask for volunteers, if you cannot accept those who do volunteer, Harry. It's bad form.”

Bellatrix laughed out loud at the Veela, and the expression on Harry's face. “You might want to simply accept it, Harry. She's not taking a no for an answer. And neither am I.”

Harry pinched the bridge of his nose, and sighed, before he turned to the women and smiled at them. “Thank you,” he said, a little moved by their unwavering support. “But there's something we need to before we leave. Moody?”

“Aye, lad?”

“What is your plan to retake the Ministry, and how quickly can we set out?”

The silence that met Harry was almost comical. Moody's magical eye spun in its socket, and the old man stared at Harry, who grinned at the room. “Oh, come off it, you lot. Did you honestly think Alastor bloody Moody wouldn't have a plan in place, to reclaim the Ministry, should the opportunity present itself?”

Moody and Minerva shared a glance, before Moody barked out a laugh. “Right you are, lad. I do have about a dozen people stationed in the Ministry, that only need a few hours notice. Since the Order has always been a reactionary force, they will not expect us to attack the Ministry, of all things, and we will take them unawares. And I think this may just be the best time, with Riddle running scared.”

“Alright. Think we can do it tonight?”

“Aye.”

Harry then turned to Narcissa. “How quickly do you suppose we could convene the Wizengamot?”

“Tomorrow morning, at the latest, Harry. There's an emergency protocol every member signs, which states they, or their proxy be available at all times, particularly when a ranking member calls for an emergency meeting.”

Harry nodded, and turned to Neville. “Your grandmother is the acting Chief Warlock, right, mate?”

Neville gave a nod. “Yeah, she is.”

“You mind contacting her? And ask her to bring Susan and Hannah, please.”

Neville nodded without a word, and quit the room, after giving Ginny a chaste kiss. Harry turned to the rest of the people. “Alright, let's get to it, people. Mr. Weasley, Hermione and Narcissa, could you come with me for a bit, I need to talk to you in private.”

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Harry entered Minerva's quarters, and offered them a seat. Hermione and Mr. Weasley sat down at the end of the coffee table while Harry and Narcissa sat down facing the fire.

“What was it you needed to talk to us about, Harry?” Mr. Weasley asked.

“I know Narcissa gave Hermione two copies of my notes earlier, and one was meant for you, Mr. Weasley, and the rest of your family. Did you have a chance to read it?”

“It's Arthur, to you Harry, and yes, I did read it. I must say, I find it rather ambitious. Do you think you have any hope, of realizing it?”

“Not without help. Some time ago, I went to Gringotts, and I made a will. A little after that, I went and I amended it, and did something you may not like, but I hope you'll accept the responsibility.”

“Harry, what did you do?” Hermione asked, a little apprehensive. Narcissa, however was looking at Harry with an unreadable expression.

“Well, Hermione, you're looking at the heir of the House of Black.”

While Hermione's and Arthur's faces fell in almost comical fashion, Narcissa had to fight the urge to throw her fist in the air. She had guessed almost immediately what he'd wanted to talk about, and what he'd done when he had asked Arthur to join them, and she was very happy to find she had been right.

As for what would come next, she was certain she'd guessed that one right as well, and it was utterly delicious. She watched Arthur closely, and smiled when he got over his shock, and a look of understanding dawned on him.

Harry had made such a good choice. Arthur was very sharp, and while he generally did not speak up during Wizengamot sessions, whenever he did, it was always worth listening to, and only the greatest fools dismissed him, out of hand. Fools such as her former husband, and most of his allies, who judged Arthur because of his hobbies. Idiots.

“I suppose it's for the best, as things stand. I know the workings of the Wizengamot, of course, and we do not want the title to go to the the next person in line. I don't like it, but I do understand, Harry. I will accept if you promise to change it, once the war is over.”

“Of course, if I'm able,” Harry said, and the two men shook hands.

Narcissa took pity on Hermione, who was looking a little lost. “Miss Granger, if the Head of a House is the last of his generation, and makes no prior arrangements, the title of Head is automatically passed down to the next generation. In the case of the Black family, the Head must always be a male. Now, Sirius had a problem; he had no children, Regulus was dead, and Andie only had the one daughter.”

“It would have gone to your son,” Hermione deduced.

“Mr. Malfoy's offspring, yes,” Narcissa amended coldly. “Similarly, if Harry had not made any arrangements, and died, Draco would have been made Head. My cousin knew Harry was a Black, through his great great grandmother Dorea, which enabled Sirius to make him his heir. Now, in this case Harry's able to make Arthur his heir, because Arthur is a Black, through his grandmother Cedrella. Cedrella was disowned, but it doesn't matter. Blood is blood.”

Narcissa turned to Harry, who was grinning at Hermione. “I'm a bit surprised you knew this, Harry. Severus seemed to think Dumbledore would not have told you any of it. Although, Sirius may have done so, I suppose.”

Harry nodded. “He gave me a brief tour of the family tapestry once, and I remembered some of the branches of the tree.”

“Ah. Well, if aunt Walburga was still alive, I can imagine quite a few burn marks would have been added over the next few months. Oh, just think what she'll say when I tell her who stands to inherit everything, if the worst happens. I cannot wait to go to Nr. Twelve,” Narcissa said smugly.

“Can I please be there when you tell her?” Harry asked with a grin.

“Naturally. I must show her my new man, Harry,” Narcissa said, and everyone at the table shared a quiet laugh.

“She must have been such a horrid woman,” Hermione said, and shook her head.

Arthur, and Narcissa shared a look. “She was much worse than that, Miss Granger,” Cissy said.

“Anyway, moving on,” Harry said. “You all know me, and understand I do not have any desire or patience to actually spend any time in the Wizengamot, if I can help it. Cissy, I think you already know what I'm going to ask of you.”

“I suppose you only want me, for the Black Seat,” Narcissa said with a cute pout.

The woman yelped in surprise when Harry grabbed her, and pulled her on top of him to give her a toe curling kiss that lasted much longer than was proper.

“I want you for all kind of things, you temptress, but we have company.”

Once the pair of them had collected themselves, Harry turned his attention on Hermione, who was trying to look at anything besides him, and Narcissa, while Arthur seemed particularly interested in a picture of Hogwarts, that graced one of the walls.

“How about it, Hermione? Fancy becoming the first Muggleborn on the Wizengamot, as the Potter proxy?”

His friend stared at him like he'd lost his marbles. “Harry, they will never accept it.”

“It's not up to them,” Harry said with a grin. “The law, passed by the Wizengamot itself, clearly states you only have to be an off age, British witch or wizard. Blood status is irrelevant.”

Arthur nodded along with Harry. “Harry's right, Hermione,” he said with a smile. “Perhaps it's time we set a few traditions aside, and created some of our own.”

The bushy haired girl was silent for a while. “If you're sure, Harry?” Hermione eventually asked.

“Yes, I'm sure. If I die, you're the lynchpin that will hold everything together. The Muggleborn will look to you as an example of what they can achieve, and I should think most of the half bloods will support you, as well. It would be a sign of change, and that's the first step, and it may make everything else so much easier. You'll be fine. Arthur and Narcissa will help you.”

Hermione took a deep breath, which she released slowly. “Alright, then. I'd be honoured to, Harry,” she said, and flashed him a brilliant smile.

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“So, the plan is, we Floo into the Ministry?” Harry asked.

“Aye,” Moody said. “A few trusted Aurors will take over the Floo Administration Office, down on level six. We will station ourselves around Hogsmeade, and once they're done, they will flash the fireplaces, and we'll go through, three per Floo. Unfortunately, the Ministry only has nine fireplaces capable of Floo travel; eight in the Atrium, and and a special one in the Minister's office, that's under his direct control.”

“So, we'll have to fight our way to the first floor to get to a man that will either have run, or will be bringing in reinforcements. That's fantastic,” Harry said, and rolled his eyes. “Still, you know the Ministry inside and out, Moody, so it's no doubt the best way. Oh, before I forget, does anyone have my wand?”

Kingsley reached into his robes, and extracted a very familiar Holly wand. Harry reached out, grabbed it, and smiled euphorically, when he felt the warmth of the connection run through him, and he shuddered heavily. It felt amazing, like taking a hot shower, after playing around in the snow. Harry placed the wand in a slot on the inside of the arm brace on his right arm, and found his arm was just long enough for him to move it unhindered.

“I think I'm going to go down in the box,” Harry declared. “It should divert the attention toward the Atrium, making things easier for the Aurors. Anyone care to join?” Unsurprisingly, Bella and Tonks made their way to his side.

Harry turned to Minerva, and gave her a kiss, not caring one bit who saw his blatant show of affection. That didn't mean he had not noticed the various shocked looks, which he pointedly ignored. “It's going to be fine. We'll be fine.”

“I know, Harry. I wish I could go with you, but my place is here, with my students.”

“And I wouldn't have it any other way, Minerva,” Harry said, and pulled of the Keystone, and placed it around her neck. “This should be yours, as Headmistress. Keep it safe.”

He then turned toward Hermione and Narcissa, both of whom were looking at him with rather irritated expressions. “I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you two, to remain here. You understand why.”

“That doesn't mean we have to like it, Harry,” Hermione said with a scowl. “I just got you back, I hate watching you go.”

“Come on, Miss Granger,” Narcissa said, and placed a hand on her arm. “Let us retire to Minerva's quarters for some some tea. There are some things I need to discuss with you.”

“Alright, people, let's go!” Harry said firmly, and the group set out.

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“McGonagall, eh, Harry?” Tonks joked as she, Harry, and Bella stood on a rooftop overlooking the out-of-order telephone box, that housed the visitors entrance to the Ministry of Magic.

“Oh, yeah,” Bella whispered to her niece. “Harry's a real Casanova,” she said, and gave Harry a shit-eating grin, which made Tonks snicker loudly.

“Would you two focus on what we're doing here? It's rather a big deal,” Harry said, annoyed.

“You know, those two idiots they have guarding the entrance, really have no idea how to their job,” Bella said as she watched a man, and a woman in plain, Muggle clothing walk around the phone box.

“Honestly, is there not a single competent git in Flat Face's army?” Tonks wondered out loud as she, too watched the pair.

Bella shook her head dismissively. “Not since I left, apparently,” she replied with a sneer.

Harry wasn't as experienced as Tonks, especially with her training, so he had to ask. “What do you mean?”

“Well, for starters,” Tonks replied, “there's only two of them, and they're both walking in the same pattern over and over again, which makes them rather easy to identify. When guarding an entrance, you should always have at least three people; two close by what ever you're guarding, and a third somewhere with a good view of the area. If you're attacked, that person goes for help, obviously.”

“And those idiots seem intent on staying within the notice-me-not field that protects the phone box, which is a really foolish thing to do,” Bella said, and grinned at her niece, who winked in return and with that, the pair disappeared. Harry barely saw them flicker into existence by the phone box, where they stunned the two guards, and Apparated back onto the rooftop, and hit the two unconscious people with an _Incarcerous_.

All this happened, without the Muggles becoming aware of them. Harry stared at the two prisoners with a blank look. How the bloody hell had Riddle managed to almost overtake Britain, with people like that?

So, Harry, you ready?” Bellatrix asked.

“Yeah, let's go.”

The three of them Apparated right to the phone box, and entered the rectangle, which expanded to accommodate them. When the familiar mechanical voice in the box asked them to state their purpose, Harry grinned, answered, and three name tags were released from the slot on the wall. The trio pinned the tags on the front of their clothes, and the box descended quickly with a _whoosh_ sound.

The lift finally stopped, and opened to allow the visitors entry onto the Atrium and Harry's eyes immediately focused on a large sculpture at the centre. At first the base looked like a large slab of rock, hewn in a rough rectangle shape that was uneven in the middle, and carved in the rock were the words _' **Magic is Might'.**_

And on top sat a witch, and wizard, staring proudly at the world. Harry's eyes slid down to the base again, and realized the rock wasn't uneven. A horde of starving, broken, and defeated Muggles could be seen trying to escape from their fate, but were obviously failing.

“This is new,” Tonks said softly and peered up at Harry, who was staring at the grotesque statue with utter revulsion and contempt. He stepped forward slowly, his gaze hardening with each step.

“Harry,” Tonks began, but was cut short by her aunt, who clasped her shoulder, and shook her head. Despite the lateness of the hour, there were quite a few people milling about the atrium, and the witch manning the reception desk smiled at Harry, before she noticed the scar on his forehead.

Her eyes found the tag on his breast, and the sword peeking from behind his shoulder. She stole a quick glance at his companions, and recognized them at once. She flashed him a tiny smile, before she dashed away at a run.

Harry took a deep breath, and made a sweeping gesture with both his arms and a massive gust of wind flew towards the floor of the atrium, and within a second, the floor by the statue was cleared of people. Harry marched on, and felt his power build steadily, and he thrust his hands forward one after the other, and started blowing the statue apart, piece by piece, starting with the pointy hats. Then the heads, and hands, and with a mighty roar, he slowly thrust both hands forwards, palms together, before moving them apart, the veins in his neck, and forehead bulging with the effort.

A large crack formed in the centre of the statue, and slowly, but surely, the two halves were brought apart, until they fell and broke into pieces. All of this had taken less than twenty seconds, but Harry was panting, and sweating with the effort, and Bellatrix thought he was lucky that most of the people had stopped to stare at his awesome display of power.

There was a little commotion to the left, and this time, it was Tonks who had to restrain her aunt as they watched a toad wearing a pink cardigan make her way across the atrium. She was surrounded by a half dozen Aurors, two of whom raised an eyebrow at Harry.

“How dare you come in here, and show such blatant disrespect for the Ministry of Magic!” Umbridge screeched, as she stared at the broken statue, before turning toward the newcomers and regarded them with disdain. Her eyes eventually found his forehead.

“You,” she said, and sneered at Harry, who smirked at her in return.

“ 'Tis I!” Harry exclaimed dramatically, and bowed mockingly. “Harry Potter himself, come to grace you with my presence, hoping against hope, to sway you of this unrighteous path of ruin you have chosen, Madame Umbitch.” Harry finished.

Umbridge did not acknowledge Harry's performance with a reply and turned her eyes on Bellatrix and took a step back when she felt the pure, unfiltered hatred the former Lestrange obviously felt for her. She squared her shoulders and smiled that sickening, simpering smile Harry had always found so disgusting.

“Bellatrix Lestrange. I'd heard rumours you had allied yourself with substandard beings,” she began, and sneered at Harry, and Tonks. “However, I have to admit, I was reluctant to believe, that a witch of such fine stock would sink to such lows. To allow yourself to lie with such disgusting filth!” She laughed condescendingly, and pointed to Harry before adding, “that thing isn't even human! You truly are insane.”

Bella moved to stand beside Harry, and stared down her nose at the pink clad woman, every inch the pureblood princess. Cold fury shone out of her eyes, and this time, Umbridge was properly cowed, before a superior presence. Bellatrix turned to Harry, and grabbed his hand to run her thumb across the scars made by the infamous blood quill.

“You hurt my Harry, he still bears the marks.” Bella took a step toward Umbridge, who almost fell over in her haste to back away from her. “I may be free from Riddle, but I still remember everything, every spell, every curse. I swear to you now; if you so much as touch a hair on Harry's head again, I will make certain, that once I'm done with you, people will say what I did to the Longbottoms, will have been a gentle caress.”

Dreadfully embarrassed, Umbridge made to reply, but was cut short when Harry snorted derisively. “You know, I always wondered why the purebloods have to use their status to get anywhere in the wizarding world, and this conversation has finally revealed the truth.”

“Care to share with the rest of us, Harry?” Tonks asked, and grinned, since she knew Harry was about to say or do something she'd most likely find rather amusing.

“Well, Tonksie, it must be about the brains.”

“Brains?” Tonks asked, looking a little confused.

Harry chuckled. “Well, yeah. I can't think of a single person with at least half a brain, who would antagonize Bellatrix like that, and expect to live. Pretty bonkers, wouldn't you say? And if the pureblood Slytherins of my generation are any indication, we are in serious trouble. I mean Crabbe, Goyle, Flint and Malfoy? Parkinson? These halfwits are the crop of the cream? Merlin help us!”

Umbridge was seething. “You dare...”

“Yes, I bloody dare!” Harry snarled, and pointed at the toad, who trembled in fear. “And if more people did and if those in power weren't such self serving little shits, we wouldn't be in this fucking mess!”

Harry was about to give Umbridge en earful, when the fireplaces around the atrium burst to life, and one by one, the members of the Order came through, wands at the ready, and stunned the Aurors that had arrived with The Senior Undersecretary. Umbridge gave a startled yelp, and tried to scurry away, only to be manhandled by the two Aurors that had acknowledged Harry earlier.

Apparently, the people Moody had planted in the Ministry had been very successful in infiltrating the various positions in the Ministry, since they had been able to plant themselves in her protective detail, which Harry assumed had happened, sometime after he and the others had taken care of the Snatchers.

Harry advanced on The Umbitch, and stared at her with open contempt, before turning his gaze upon the ruined statue, behind her. He held out his hand for her wand, which one of the two Aurors handed over. Harry stared at his enemy, and deliberately broke the apparatus in two in front of her face, and threw the pieces away. Then he pulled his own wand out of the arm brace. Umbridge clearly wanted to say something nasty, but uncharacteristically, she kept silent.

“You like this statue so much?” Harry asked in mock cheer. “Then perhaps you should be a part of it!” Harry exclaimed, and moved his wand in a pattern, and couple of iron bars appeared out of thin air. Harry motioned for the two men who held the toad to let go, and once they did, he flicked his wand which caused the iron bars to wrap themselves around the squat woman. Then, with a final move of the wand, he sent the woman flying into the statue, and the ends of the iron bars bored into the granite, and held fast.

“You can stay here until we're done with cleaning out the Ministry,” Harry said, and turned toward his companions. “Let's go!”


	13. XIV

I forgot to post a picture of Minerva in the last chapter. I searched for a while, but didn't really find any, who had that exact look I had in mind, for my Minnie, so here you go: https://www.deviantart.com/dropdeadcoheed/art/Louraine-Croft-630092466

XIV

“Well, Harry, I must say that was rather entertaining,” Bellatrix breathed into his ear as he led her and Tonks through one of the doors, leading away from the atrium.

“It was, wasn't it?” Harry said, and grinned at Bella, who used the opportunity to kiss her lover, briefly sliding her tongue over his.

“Oi! Not the time, you gits!” Tonks hissed through clenched teeth as she walked behind them, keeping an eye out for anything suspicious. “Auntie Bella,” Nym continued in a sweet voice. “You may want him to put his knob in your fanny, but this is really not the time,” she finished, and stepped in front of them to give them a rather chilling stare, that was eerily similar to the one McGonagall gave those students she caught in a broom closet.

Nym was happy to see that Bella was a little unnerved by it. Much to her dissatisfaction, however, Harry seemed unaffected by it, and she assumed having been somewhat intimate with McGonagall was the cause for it.

“Blast it, Harry! You could at least _pretend_ to be scared of me,” Nym pouted.

“Sorry,” Harry replied, and sent her a shit-eating grin. “You're just such a cute, cuddly little chameleon that it's impossible for me to be scared of you.”

Harry and Nym walked slowly down the corridor, and checked each of the offices as they went along. Bella had wandered into a nearby office to examine it, but stopped for a brief moment to think about that little interplay, between her niece and Harry. Harry's use of the word 'chameleon' to refer to her niece was very interesting, and Bella had to wonder if Nymphadora was, in fact, one of the women that bloody centaur had been talking about. Given what she'd seen so far, she had to say it was very likely.

“I am not _cute_ , Harry James Potter!” Bellatrix heard her niece blurt out just as she left the space she'd been checking, to bring up the rear once more.

“Yes, you are, Nymmie. Especially when you do that thing with your nose, and your hair is all pink and spiky.”

Tonks glared at her friend. “If you value your life, Wonder Boy, stop using that name. It's either Tonks or Nym, to you. You got that, Hero?”

“Your wish is my command, milady!” Harry said pompously, and placed a hand on his chest.

Nym rolled her eyes in defeat. “Ugh... Just shut up, Harry.”

The pair kept trading shots as they neared the end of the hallway, and Bellatrix could not help but to grin at their antics. Yes, she could most certainly see that going further, and she would fully support it. Suddenly, Harry raised his fist, and the two women stopped, and looked at Harry, who raised three fingers. All three wizards readied their wands, and Harry peeked around the corner, then quickly pulled back as a light blue beam raced just past his nose.

“Well, they mean business,” Harry remarked. “A skin rending curse. Nasty.”

“There's no cover, so we're going to have to rush them, girls. Ready?”

At their affirmative nods, the three of them burst around the corner, wands firing. Tonks dodged a jelly leg curse, and retaliated with a tickling charm, barely missing with her effort and the duel was on, the combatants rather evenly matched.

Meanwhile, Bella and Harry were locked in their own battles, which were quite one sided. The enemy was slowly worked into submission and finally, Harry and Bella scored a hit each with a _Stupefy._ And a few moments later, Nym subdued her own opponent. Harry approached his friend, who was panting heavily from the effort.

“You alright, Nym? This wanker really shouldn't have been any trouble, for you.”

Tonks straightened up, and gave him a small smile, grateful for his concern. “I'll be OK, Harry.”

“You're sure? Bella and I will be fine if you're not feeling well. No one will think less of you if you need some time, given what happened. ”

“Harry's right,” Bella said and placed a hand on her niece's shoulder. “You don't have to force your way through this. It's dangerous enough, as it is.”

Nym merely shook her head. “No! I am seeing this through, then I am going with you to Egypt,” she said with determination. “I refuse to sit by, and watch the rest of you go fight. It's not in my blood.”

“Alright,” Harry said with a nod. “Then I'm going to need you focused, and I do not want you taking any needless risks.” And with that, the trio moved on in their quest to disinfect the Ministry for Magic.

000000

Hermione Granger was _not_ a happy woman at the moment, for two main reasons. First off, she was not at her best friend's side, as he fought to liberate the Ministry from its captors. Secondly, and more alarmingly, she'd just had a discussion with a pair of women that had effectively turned her world upside down. Afterwards, at her request, they had retreated from the room, to allow her to come to grips with their revelations, her new reality.

She glared into the fireplace of Minerva's private chambers, and clenched and relaxed her fists in a kind of rhythm. That... that... _bastard!_ How could she not have seen it? Had she, much like Minerva, been so blinded by her admiration for Dumbledore, that she had not understood just what it was the late Headmaster had been doing to Harry.

“ _What you must understand, Miss Granger, is that people like Albus Dumbledore, and Tom Riddle are extremely manipulative. Older, more experienced people than you have been pulled into their web, and not found their way out. And nothing they do is ever without reason.”_

Those had been Minerva's words, and Hermione knew the Headmistress had been referring to herself. Hermione felt disgusted with herself, felt like a failure of a friend, despite Narcissa's and Minerva's insists that she was anything but. She hated the fact that she'd allowed herself to listen to the old man, and left Harry to his grief after that horrible night in the graveyard, not to mention the awful battle at the DoM.

She would do better, she promised herself. She would help Harry reach his goals, which she shared, of course. A soft knock on the door startled Hermione, and she rose from the sofa, and turned to find Narcissa entering the room. The older woman closed the door with a click. She walked to the sofa, sat down, and motioned for Hermione to do the same, which she did.

“How are you doing, Miss Granger?” Narcissa asked, and poured herself a cup of tea.

Hermione allowed a small smile to grace her lips. “I'm not sure, Ms Black. These past few days have been rather strange.”

“Indeed, they have,” Narcissa acknowledged. “And I must insist you call me Narcissa, Miss Granger. You are my Harry's best friend, and I'd like for us to get along.”

“ _Your_ Harry...” Hermione mused quietly. “That will take some time for me to understand.”

“Indeed,” the older woman said and took a sip of her tea. “Hermione, there's a thing I want you to think about, and I'd like you to keep an open mind, if you can.”

Hermione was a little nervous at Narcissa's tone, but nodded her accord. “I'll try.”

“Why are you in a relationship with Ronald Weasley?”

Hermione had gone through a multitude of scenarios in her head after Narcissa's request, but that question surprised her greatly. How was that relevant to Harry, and his relationships? The bushy haired young woman stole a glance at Narcissa, a little annoyed with her. She'd asked her a very personal question, and then sat, and sipped her tea as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

Hermione was about to huff indignantly at Narcissa, before she was struck with a thought. Why _was_ she with Ron? Earlier, Harry had voiced similar thoughts. They had nothing in common, he was an obnoxious arse at times, had the emotional range of a teaspoon, a messy eater, and there was no filter on his thoughts.

Harry had been right, as well. Ron cared nothing for her goals, and wasn't truly ambitious about anything other than Quidditch. When she thought about it further, Ron always seemed to demand things, without having earned them. Much like he had at Hogwarts, when he pestered her to look over his work, which usually ended with her practically doing his homework for him.

Inevitably, Hermione started comparing Ron to Harry, and found him wanting in almost every way. She and Harry got on better, they shared most of the same goals, and Harry was attentive, and caring, and courageous; he'd saved her from a troll when he was eleven!

He wasn't without his faults, of course. He could be moody, and his temper was well known, and he could be frightfully stubborn, and somewhat careless. But he was also kind, just, handsome, and strong, and beautiful... Oh, god. She put face into her hands as the truth of her feelings descended upon her. She was in love with her best friend, and she had been for years. All that she had needed was a question to realize it?

“I... I may have made a mistake, Narcissa.”

“Well, I'd say that's obvious,” the older woman said with a raised eyebrow. “What I simply do not understand, is how you went through all those adventures, without something happening? I mean, he saves you from a troll, goes head to head with Riddle _twice_ , and that's just the first year. Second year, if Mr. Malfoy's son is to be believed, Harry spent an awful lot of time in the infirmary when you were petrified.”

Hermione shook her head helplessly, but Narcissa pushed on. “Then, Harry literally saves your soul by fighting of a hundred Dementors, after which, the pair of you rescue my cousin. Now, Harry's as dense as a wooden log when it comes to women, but you really should have made your move in fourth year, when that jealous idiot abandoned his supposed best friend.”

Hermione was becoming increasingly annoyed, with Narcissa. “What is the meaning of this? Why the need to rub my face in it? Fine! I made a mistake! I'm in love with Harry, and missed out on a chance to become the happiest woman on the bloody planet! Is this what you wanted to hear!?”

“Yes,” Narcissa said simply.

Hermione sputtered a little at that. “Wh, what?”

“Well, not necessarily those words exactly, but I wanted to hear you confess your love for Harry. And now that you've done so, I can tell you that you've not missed your chance. The only question is; how far are you willing to go, to grasp that chance.”

Hermione tilted her head. “What are you talking about?”

“I am telling you, that if you approach Harry, he will not spurn your advances.”

“Hold on a minute, Narcissa,” Hermione said, and rose from the sofa to pace the floor in front of the fireplace. “What's going on?”

“I don't know,” Narcissa admitted, and motioned for Hermione to rejoin her on the sofa. “I think there's something pulling us all together, and that we would be foolish to resist it. Before we arrived at Hogwarts, we met with the centaurs of the Forbidden Forest. One of them, Firenze, told my sisters and me that Harry would be approached by the Cat, Swallow, Owl and Chameleon, that he would need them, as well as us three sisters. The Cat has already made her move, but can you guess the rest?”

Hermione's mind was moving at a hundred miles an hour. This was very interesting indeed. Centaurs read the stars, and while this wasn't exactly a prophecy, it was certainly a premonition. McGonagall was obviously the Cat, and she assumed the Owl was a referral, to herself.

Now, the Chameleon should be Tonks, and Hermione could indeed see it; the chemistry between Tonks, and Harry was fantastic, and they always had such a good time when they met. As for the Swallow... There was a woman who had been looking at, and watching Harry with a very thoughtful gaze, ever since he returned. A woman, whose race was known to be able to transform into an avian creature, when under emotional distress.

“I see you've connected the dots,” Narcissa said with a smile.

“But it's so... How would it even work?”

Narcissa laughed softly at that. “Ask Harry,” she said, and laughed heartily at the younger woman's deadpan look. “We women will have to work it out among ourselves. That poor boy will have no idea what to do with this all.”

The jovial atmosphere was pulled back down, when Hermione's eyes went a little troubled. “I have to talk to Ron.”

“That is not a conversation that's going to go well, I'd imagine,” Narcissa said, and placed a reassuring hand on the other woman's shoulder. “I can be there with you, if you want.”

Hermione shook her head. “Thank you, but no. Ron would feel as if we're ganging up on him, and most likely blame you for putting this in my head.”

“A wise choice, Hermione,” Narcissa complemented her and passed her a steaming cup of tea. “Now, do you know any dirty secrets about Harry, that I can use to blackmail him with?”

000000

Harry was panting, and so were Nym and Bella after a particularly hard fight against some of the best Aurors that had chosen to stay loyal to the ministry. The battle was almost over, and Harry saw most of his companions join them outside the entrance to the floor, that held the Minister's office.

He was glad to note that almost all of the Order members were free of serious injury, but noted Fred was missing, as well as Mr. Weasley. A bit vexed with himself for not asking Arthur to stay behind, with Narcissa and Hermione, Harry made his way over to George, who told him they'd taken a pair of cutting curses, and lost quite a bit of blood, but quickly assured him they'd be fine. Harry sighed in relief, when Andie and Fleur entered large lounge last, looking ruffled, but unhurt.

Moody limped his way over to Harry, and nicked his head toward the large double doors. “I reckon we'll meet with even heavier resistance on the other side of those doors, lad. There's plenty of reinforced cover, and that bastard Thicknesse has had quite a bit of time to amass the Death Eaters, through the Floo.”

“So, what do you suggest?” Harry asked, and eyed the doors.

“There's only one thing we can do, really. Blow open the doors, and work our way through. It's a bloody bottleneck, but there you have it.”

Harry nodded gravely, and turned to his army. “You heard the man. We'll have to work together to take down the door. Once it's weakened enough, I'll blow it inwards. The rest of you try, and use the debris. _Banish_ it into the room, and we'll rush in behind it.”

And with that, the gathered Liberators started pummelling the doors with a wide variety of spells. Eventually, the wards came down, and the doors started creaking under the assault. Harry holstered his wand, and started gathering energy into the arm braces, and started moving his hands in weaving pattern. They gradually became larger and larger, until the doors had finally weakened enough, and the attackers retreated to the sides.

Harry then slammed his palms forward, and the ball splintered the doors completely, and the combined efforts of the attackers sent the pieces shooting into the room, and the resulting screams pierced their ears.

Harry led the way, as the Liberators swarmed the entrance, firing spells and curses as they went, and the battle was on. They were met with a large number of Death Eaters in full regalia, and Harry thought he recognized the voice of one Thorfinn Rowle.

Gritting his teeth, Harry worked his way towards the man, dodging curses, and flying objects. He was not about to let that bastard get away, one more time. No, his time among the living was done, if Harry had anything to say about it.

Harry leaned out of the way of a piercing hex, and returned it with a bludgeoning one, which impacted the attacker with a sickening crunch. Just then, Harry narrowly avoided a green flash he recognized as an AK cast by Rowle. The man might have been an idiot, but he did have enough power to cast that blasted curse. One of very few, thankfully.

With his wand, Harry summoned a piece of debris, and floated it to block the beam, while simultaneously thrusting his left arm forward, and Rowle staggered to the side, but recovered before Harry could bring another attack to bear. Harry rolled out of the way of a _Cruciatus,_ and was about to retaliate, when a _Bombarda_ came sailing toward Rowle, and forced him to defend himself.

“I was supposed to be yours, you fucking degenerate!” Andromeda growled as she advanced onto Rowle, throwing magic at him with incredible speed. “So how do you like me now, Rowle?”

Harry was quite surprised at the display, she had to be almost as fast as Bellatrix! Not bad for someone, who had worked for years as a shrink. Harry decided to let her have the duel, and cast his eyes over the battle, and saw it was nearing an end. He worked his way forward, and quickly found himself outside the office of the Minister, who was still inside. Alone, it seemed.

Why hadn't he fled? Harry noted the last of the Death Eaters had been subdued and unmasked and he snorted when he recognized the faces of Crabbe Jr, and Goyle Jr, as well as Pansy Parkinson. Well, no wonder this fight had been so easy. It seemed Riddle had given the Ministry up as a lost cause. Harry turned his attention back to the Minister's office.

“Give up, Thicknesse,” Harry shouted. “There's no sense, in continuing this. Your men have been defeated, and we have control of the Ministry. Come outside with your wand snapped, and I will not harm you. You have my word.”

There was silence for a moment, before Harry heard the snap of a piece of wood. The door slowly opened to reveal a narrow faced man with a goatee, and shoulder length hair. He stepped outside, and threw the wand pieces onto the floor, and raised his hands. Before he could say anything, however, Moody laid him low with a strong hit to the jaw.

“I told him we wouldn't hurt him, Moody,” Harry said disapprovingly.

“Nay lad. You said _you_ would not hurt him. _I_ made no such promise,” the grizzled Auror said, and began directing people to remove the enemy fighters, down to the holding cells.

Harry had to confess, that he didn't really care. Hopefully, the Wizengamot would deal with the captured wizards, soon. He entered the office, and found, to his surprise that the Floo entrance had been destroyed. That did not make any sense.

Why would Thicknesse block off his own escape? Harry heard Bellatrix enter the room along with Tonks, Andie and Fleur. Percy Weasley came along as well, and immediately started rummaging through the various files and folders, a faint look of disgust on his face.

Noticing what Harry was looking at, Bella walked over to the Floo. “Fear.”

“Hmm?”

“It was fear that broke through the _Imperious,_ and then drove Thicknesse to destroy the Floo. One of Riddle's men will have been in here to observe, and I wouldn't be surprised if the erstwhile Minister destroyed the entrance, when the other man went through, to make certain Riddle couldn't come through, or call him.”

“I can see old Snake Face killing him for failing to protect the Ministry. But I have to say, Riddle's forces didn't fight back as hard as I thought they would.” Harry admitted.

“Well, we left him scrambling, and we obviously made him look vulnerable in front of most of his inner circle. People talk, Harry.”

Harry nodded at her, walked over to Percy, and glanced at the parchment he was reading at the moment, and was very unhappy to find that it, and most of the other rolls on the desk were various laws and regulations, that aimed at severely restricting the freedom of everyone in wizarding Britain, aside from the purebloods, of course. Harry vowed to himself, that this would all change from this day forth...

000000

A couple of hours after he and the others had finished locking up the criminals, Harry strode through the hallways of the DMLE, and entered the wing where the offices of the Wizangamot were housed. Even though the offices were up here, the law body held court down in the dungeons, one level above the DoM. Harry knew that, of course, having once been a 'guest' of the law body. Bloody farce that had been.

On either side of the young man, there were fine oak doors. Each one was marked in golden plaques, the traditional holders of the seats on the Wizengamot. He passed by Abbot, Black, Bones, Crabbe and many others, until he eventually found a door marked 'Potter'. It was half open, and he couldn't help but smile when he peeked in, and found his Narcissa in there, leaning against the ebony wood table, reading a parchment.

She looked up, and her eyes lit up when he entered the room, and she put down her reading. “Hello, my love.”

“Hello,” Harry replied, cupped her chin, and kissed her gently on the lips, before he picked her up, and sat her on the table. Narcissa's arms went around Harry's neck, and they started kissing with a deepening passion.

“I was worried, you know, “she said, and gazed into his eyes. “I hated not being there with you.”

“I hope I'm not interrupting anything,” came a deep feminine voice from the doorway, and the lovers turned their attention that way, to find the Longbottom matriarch looking at them with a disapproving expression. Slightly embarrassed, Harry quickly tried to back away from Narcissa, who slid of the table, and then pulled Harry back to her, and grabbed his hand, before facing Neville's grandmother.

“Augusta. So good to see you,” Harry's lover said, in false cheer.

“Indeed,” Augusta said, her expression unchanging. “I must say I find this inappropriate behaviour. I will have to ask you, to restrain yourselves. You are not a pair of teenagers.”

Narcissa gave the older woman a piercing glare, which did not bother Augusta even a little. “What Harry Potter does in the office of the Potter family, should be of no concern to you, Augusta Longbottom,” she said coldly.

Both women were glaring fiercely at each other now, and Harry felt a little awkward. There was obviously some history there, which the young man assumed had something to do with the oldest Black sister. Who just so happened to be walking down the corridor, at that exact moment, Harry's ears picked up.

Harry palmed his face, and let go of Narcissa's hand, and walked over to a sofa that could be found on one side of the room. His lover gave him a surprised look, but Harry simply waved a hand in the general direction of the rest of the building, before dropping his face into his hands, to await the coming explosion.

000000

Hermione was almost finished with packing her trunk. She put in her last book, silently thanking the person, who had invented _Capacious extremis_ , the Extension charm. It was rather fortuitous the Ministry was in a disarray; the charm was not for personal use, and was strictly monitored by the Ministry, because of the potential of breaching the Statute of Secrecy. She was so immersed in her work, that she had not noticed she was not alone in the room.

“Going somewhere?”

Hermione turned, and saw Ron in the doorway with a frown on his face. She sighed softly, and levitated the trunk of the bed, and onto the floor.

“Yes I am, Ron. I will be very busy for the foreseeable future, and have decided to stay with Narcissa, Harry and the others at that place Harry has. Narcissa has offered to help me get used to the job I'll be accepting, later.”

Ron frowned at Hermione, and moved into the room to lean against the desk with his arms across his chest. “You don't think us moving is something we should talk about? And what's this about a new job?”

Hermione took a deep breath to steady herself. “ _We_ are not moving anywhere, Ronald. I think we have reached the end of this relationship, and it's best I leave right away.”

Ron pushed himself away from the desk, and walked over to Hermoine. “What!? Where is this coming from? Blimey! I know we had a fight, but this is hardly the first time, Hermione. You'll get over it.”

Hermione simply shook her head, at those words. “This is one reason I'm leaving, Ron. You're so self absorbed, that you think _I_ should get over a fight that _you_ started, because you were jealous of Harry. I can't do it, Ron.”

The redhead bristled at the mention of Harry. “Bloody Harry Potter! Everything was fine between us, before he came back. Now that he's here, he's mucking everything up! I suppose he got you that new job? What is it? His personal maid?”

Now, normally, Hermione would have been enraged at Ron's cruel words, but she had been ready for them, and had steeled herself against them, and so she was able to keep her composure.

“Yes, Harry did offer me a job. And no, Ronald _Bilius_ (Ron hated the name, and Hermione was unable to resist a small jab), I am not going to work as a maid. Unlike you, Harry has actual goals, and he has always been there for me, and recognized my qualities, and he felt I was the best choice to act as his proxy on the Wizengamot, in the Potter seat.”

Ron was struck speechless. Then he got even more angry, and he felt his ears grow hot. Bloody Potter had done it again, it seemed. How was it that anywhere Ron looked, Potter was there? It had been like this for a very long time, and for a while, he'd been able to look past it, but it had always grated on him, and sometimes, he got fed up. Like now, for instance.

“A Muggleborn on the Wizengamot? That'll be the day,” Ron said, with a sneer.

Hermione sent her former boyfriend a frigid look. “You know, Harry said you'd do that. That you would not support me, once I began chasing my dreams. “

“Ohh, the great Harry Potter did, did he? Why don't you go, and marry him, then, since he's so bloody perfect,” Ron threw at her with a vicious smirk. “You think you stand a chance against the birds he's already got? Wake up, Hermione!”

So that was how he planned to end it. Make her realize she had no chance with Harry, seeing how he was already involved with four witches. Well, she wasn't about to let the git have the last word, that was for certain.

“That's what I'm hoping for. I've come to realize I've been in love with Harry, since I was twelve years old, Ron. Ever since he saved me from the troll.”

Seeing his plan of attack fail so easily, Ron stared at Hermione, wide eyed. “B- But I'm the one who knocked out the troll! All Harry did was-”

“-rush head first into a life threatening situation to try, and save a person he barely knew? Tell me honestly, Ron, do you think you would have gone looking for me if Harry hadn't insisted on it?”

Ron had no answer for that, and looked away, his eyes smouldering with anger still. “I didn't think so,” Hermione said, and strode to the door with her trunk floating behind her. “And you know something, Ron? You've always been jealous of what Harry has, the money, the fame... It's pretty sad, but the saddest thing, is that Harry would trade all of that for what you have. In a heartbeat.”

“Oh, and what does poor, invisible Ronald have, that Potter doesn't?”

Hermione almost screamed at how dense the idiot was. How had she ever allowed herself, to be with him? “Parents, siblings, a proper family, you dunderhead. Harry's never had that. Imagine your Mum and Dad gone tomorrow, and then you'd be sent to live with your aunt Muriel. How would that feel? How do you think you would feel if, every year, the whole country celebrated Halloween, and the day the Enemy was vanquished, and it just so happened to be the day your parents were murdered. Oh, yes. Harry's had such an amazing life, Ronald. Plenty of things for you to be jealous about.”

With a disgusted snort, Hermione left Ron alone in the room, and strode past a shocked Molly Weasley, who was standing stock still in the stairway. She continued down the stairs, and past the small dining room, sparing a single glance at the people gathered there. Judging by their faces, they'd most likely heard everything. Hermione didn't care a whiff. Ron had made his bed, and now he would have to lie in it.

000000

In a different home, another couple were preparing to have a conversation themselves. Fleur took a few deep breaths, and forced her allure under complete control. It would not do, for William to lose his faculties now.

“Thank you for coming, Fleur. Want anything? Tea, coffee?”

Fleur shook her head. “No, thank you William. I would like to finish this conversation as quickly as possible.”

Bill ran a hand through his hair. “I suppose you're right. What happened to us, Fleur? I don't understand why you've been so distant, lately. You refuse to come home, and you won't answer my Floo calls... And now you've decided to run off to Egypt, into a completely unexplored ruin with Harry, without even talking with me first. You know how dangerous those places are!”

Fleur nodded grimly. “I do know how dangerous they are, and that's precisely why Harry needs my help.”

Bill threw up his hands. “But why you? Why not someone else? How about Richard? He's the best 'breaker in our team.”

Fleur glared at Bill. “Harry's my friend. Do I need another reason?”

“I suppose not,” Bill relented. He'd have done the same for a friend, after all.

“As for our problems, William, I'm growing tired of having to constantly rein in my allure. It's exhausting, and I don't think I should have to do so in my own home.”

Bill stared at her, confused. “What? I'm fine around you, Fleur. Always have been.”

Instead of answering, Fleur simply looked at Bill, and let go of her allure tiny bit, by tiny bit. At first, nothing happened, but then her fiancé started to sweat, and his eyes became strained, and desperate. He was fighting it with all he had, but it was all for nought. Before Bill lost all sense of self, Fleur pulled back, and brought her allure under control again. She'd used less than half her power.

“I don't.. I don't know what to say, Fleur,” Bill confessed when he'd returned from the trance. “I thought I was immune.”

Fleur smiled sadly. “You were, but the allure keeps growing stronger as I age, and I doubt I'll reach my peak for another two years.”

“But that's... What does this mean for us?”

Fleur sighed softly. “You know what it means, William,” she said, and took off the engagement ring, and placed it onto the table between them. “We cannot go on like this. It will make us both miserable, and I'd like like to think we care too much for each other, to see that happen. But I do hope we can stay friends.”

Bill blew out a breath, and nodded. She was right about that. Somewhere, in the back of his mind, he felt anger and resentment at her, but he understood this was no one's fault, least of all Fleur's. She was who she was, and she could not change her nature, no matter how much she wanted to.

“So, what now?” Bill asked and pocketed the ring.

Fleur rose from the chair and put on her coat. “I think I'll go to Gringotts, and get ready for the trip to Egypt. Harry will be busy with the Wizengamot today, so I'll use the time to gather what we need.”

“Alright. Just promise me you'll be careful, Fleur.”

“Of course,” the French Veela said with a dazzling smile, and left the flat.

000000

Hermione knocked on the door to Harry's office, and was a little startled when Neville's Grandmother opened it up, almost immediately, and strode out. Her face was set in an even sterner expression than usual, something Hermione had honestly doubted was possible, before now.

“Good morning, Miss Granger. How are you today?”

“I'm quite well, thank you, Madame Longbottom,” Hermione answered automatically.

“Good. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some matters to attend to,” the older woman said, and almost stormed down the corridor.

Hermione gazed after the Longbottom matriarch for a moment, before entering the office, to find Harry there with Bellatrix and Narcissa. They were looking at a pair of envelopes that had yet to be opened. Judging from the looks on their faces, Hermione had to conclude they did not contain pleasant news.

“Oh, hello, Hermione. So, how do you like your new office?”

The bushy haired girl took a moment to examine the room, and had to admit she rather liked it. She had passed a few open doors on her way here, and quite a few of the offices beyond those doors had been showy, and gaudy. But this office was different.

It was simple, modest, and practical. Bookshelves lined one wall, and a couple of filing cabinets stood against the opposite one, beside a sofa, to the left. In front of the door, there was a large mahogany desk. It was clearly old, but it was neatly polished, and looked well cared for.

On the wall, above the window, opposite the door was a large oak plaque, on which a simple 'P' was engraved into the wood, without any sort of gilding or such things. It, like the rest of the office was modest, and unpretentious. A bit like Harry, she supposed.

“I love it, Harry. You know I'm rather practical, and don't have any need for overly elaborate things. Yes, it will do quite nicely. But I have to admit, it's much plainer than many of the others.”

Narcissa sneered at that. “I suppose this can be used as a small lesson, you two,” she said, and looked at Harry and Hermione. “Some people try to cover their lack of intelligence, and guile with flashy things,” she said, and closed the door with a flick of her wand, before turning to Bellatrix, who was standing by the bookcase. “If you would, Bella?”

Bellatrix nodded in understanding, and studied the shelf for a moment, before she reached for a large leather bound book. She brought it to the desk, and opened it. _'The Sacred Twenty-Eight'._ Harry looked at the book and saw on the page a list of names, and realized it was an index. He scanned the names, and recognised almost all of them.

“Are these the members of the Wizengamot?” he asked Narcissa.

“This is a list of the Houses that were believed to be still pure of blood, in the 1930's. There are a few members not included in this list, but all those Houses are, or were members of the Wizengamot. It's missing names such as Bones, Davis, Diggory and Lovegood, McKinnon, Potter and Prince and a few others.” She added the other names on the bottom of the page.

“Prince? As in Snape's Mum?”

“Indeed,” Narcissa said, and flashed Harry a smile, happy that he at least knew a little. “Anyway, like I said before, there are those who try to hide their shortcomings with impressive things,” she continued, and marked a few names with her wand. “Carrow, Crabbe, Goyle, Flint, Macmillan and Nott, Umbridge are prime examples of that. They are idiots, but still have, or had a vote in the Wizengamot, and can do a lot of damage.”

She marked a few others with another colour. “Then, there are the true powerhouses of this place. “Abbot, Avery, Crouch, Greengrass, Longbottom, Malfoy, Prewett, Rosier, Selwyn. And of course we must include Bones, and Potter,” she finished and wrote the last two names onto the page, as well.

“There are a lot of Dark families here, Narcissa,” Hermione remarked, as she ran her eyes over the list. “And almost all of these houses are affiliated with Slytherin.”

“This surprises you, Hermione?” Narcissa asked.

“No, it does not. It's just a bit disconcerting, that's all.”

Harry frowned, and started pointing at some of the names. Harry eyed Narcissa, who looked down at the book.

Bellatrix made a strange noise in her throat, and stared at the page in wonder, then looked a little dumbfounded.

“You've both noticed, I see,” Narcissa said gravelly.

“How has it come to this?” Bella asked and sank down in the sofa, her expression very troubled.

“Money, sister, dear,” Narcissa said. “People like Mr. Malfoy preventing an official investigation, since this development was in their favour, in the beginning, but it has since become clear it backfired.”

Hermione had been staring at the page, trying to figure out what they were saying, when it hit her like a diving Hippogriff.

“Oh my god! These families...”

Narcissa nodded. “Indeed. Something we'll talk further about, before the Wizengamot session later today, Hermione. Now, I would like to take a look at those letters, if you don't mind, Harry. I do have a feeling I know what they are, though.”

Harry picked up the envelopes, and saw they had been sealed with wax, and looking at the book again, he recognised the seals as those of Greengrass, and Parkinson. Harry opened the one from Greengrass, and scanned it and the women in the room saw his eyes darken, and a scowl form on his face. He handed the letter to Narcissa, then opened the other one, and shook his head, before he handed that one to Narcissa, as well.

“Oh, you fools,” Narcissa said with a little smirk. “You don't send such contracts to people you don't know.” She handed the letters over to Hermione.

“This is barbaric!” Hermione seethed, as she read the letters. “How can this be legal?”

Narcissa smiled at Hermione. “Welcome to pureblood politics. But don't worry. We can use this to our advantage,” she said, and made her way over to a large tome that was placed on a stand to the side of the bookshelves, and began leafing through it. “Can you tell me when slavery was abolished in the Muggle world, Hermione?”

000000

Nymphadora Tonks slowly walked up to the house she had once shared with Remus. She entered her home, and simply stood in the small foyer, and listened. No sounds. Nothing. She fought down the tears, and idly wondered why she had rejected her mother's offer, of going with her.

No, she was a strong woman, and could take care of herself. She went further and stepped into the kitchen, and found a letter sitting on the table, written in Remus' elegant hand.

_My dearest Dora._

_If you're reading this, then the worst has happened, and I have met my end. I can only hope I died fighting against Riddle, and his degenerates. There are so many things I want to tell you, Dora, but I've never been a man of many words, as you know, so I'll keep this short, and to the point. I know you're a woman of passion, and emotion, but I will not have you wallowing in grief and anger, and I forbid you to go seek revenge in my name. Do you hear me?_

_Now that that's out of the way, I do have a wish, Dora. What I want, is for you to go, and seek happiness, and live a long, fulfilling life with the other man who resides in your heart. Yes, I know. Hermione aside, I do not think there was a single person more miserable, during the time Harry was missing, than you._

_The change in you after that night, where he brought me home was quite something. I don't doubt you love me very much, Dora, and I love you, but I knew Harry had found his way into your heart, even before we became a couple, and I have to say, I wasn't surprised. You two get along great, and understand one another very well._

_Harry faces a long, and difficult road and he will need you, of that I have no doubt._ _But you will need him also, Dora. He will want to help you get over your pain, and please let him in, when he approaches you. Harry needs to help those he cares for, when he knows they're suffering. These are perilous times, Dora. Do not wait too long, and follow your heart. That's all I ask._

_Love always,_

_Remus._

Tonks stared at the letter in her hands, not quite believing what she had just read. Remus was right, she did have feelings for Harry, and had for a long time, but she had long since accepted, that nothing would ever come of it. And it hadn't really bothered her. And she certainly hadn't been substituting Harry with Remus. Old Wolfie had been a good man, a good lover, and Tonks would miss him terribly.

Could she really honour her late husband's wishes, and approach Harry with her heart in her hands, and present it to him? What would he do with it? She heard someone enter the house, and her mother came into the kitchen, and sat down on the other side of the table.

“I thought I told you I wanted to be alone, Mum,” Tonks said with a little glare.

Andie gave her a look her daughter knew very well. It was the look that told her she had heard her, but not cared. “Did you honestly think I would let you come here, alone? Give me a little credit here, Nymphadora. My daughter's hurting, and I will keep an eye on her. So what is in that letter, that has you so upset?”

Reluctantly, Tonks pushed the letter over to her mother, who picked it up, and began to read. Her face changed expressions several times during her reading, and eventually settled on surprised.

“Is what he's saying about your feelings, toward Harry true?”

“Yes. It's true. I mean, who wouldn't fall in love with Harry, you know?”

“I do know,” Andie said with a teasing smile. “And I plan on loving him tonight, actually. He's headed for Egypt very soon, and I really want to..”

“MUM! What the bloody hell is wrong with you? I did not need, or want to know that,” Tonks shouted at her mother, while holding her hands to her ears. “I could have lived a perfectly happy life, without any knowledge of that. Bloody, buggering Hell!”

Andie laughed at her daughter. “Oh, you're such a baby, Nymphadora. This is what adults do. Now, I am going to ask you to do as Remus said, to follow your heart, sweetie. But please do not rush it. Just stay with him, and keep being his friend, for a while. I know in time, Harry will reciprocate your feelings, so do not worry.”

“Are you really OK with this, Mum? I mean, sharing Harry with all those other women?”

Andie was silent for a moment, and contemplated her answer. “I was raised in a pureblood house, Honey. I've told you all about what it was like, and what was expected of young women in such a household. True, I never thought I'd have to call upon my... 'training' after I left, but I must thank my parents for it now. Otherwise, I do not think I'd be able to accept it.”

Tonks nodded, and went upstairs and grabbed a trunk from beneath the bed, and started packing. Manually. She was never any good with household charms. She had decided to ask Harry for a room at that Stronghold of his.

“So I assume you're going to stay with us?” Andie said and entered the room.

Tonks nodded, and put a pair of socks into the trunk, before she took an old sweater of Lupin's out of the cupboard. She stared at it for a while, then brought it to her nose, and took a deep whiff. She started shaking and crying into the sweater, and her mother stepped up to her, turned her around, and wrapped her arms around her.

“Shhh. It's alright, sweetheart. I'm here. Let it out. Don't hold it in, where it will fester. I know it's unfair, and difficult, but you're not alone. You have so many people to help you. Me, your aunts, Harry and Hermione. Minerva... We're all here for you. Just remember to let us help, sweetie.”

“I will, Mum,” Tonks said, when she had cried herself out.

Andie smiled at her daughter. “Alright, then. Now, let's go and get you settled. Hermione's going to live with us too, so it'll be quite nice when we're all settled.”

000000

Harry made his way to Madame Longbottom's office, and knocked on the door. She bade him to enter, which he did. Inside, he found three people; the Longbottom matriarch, Hannah Abbott, and Susan Bones. Harry's former classmates stared at Harry, as if they'd never seen him before. Which they hadn't, of course. Not this Harry, anyway.

“Susan. Hannah. It's good to see you both,” Harry greeted them with a smile.

Both girls seemed a little reluctant to speak, until Susan, always the more assertive of the two, walked over to Harry, and hugged him briefly, and was followed by Hannah a moment later. Harry took her hands in his, and looked into her eyes.

“I was sorry when I found out about your mother, Hannah,” Harry said, and squeezed them tightly and then turned to Susan. “And I never offered you my condolences when your Aunt Amelia died, Susan. She was a good woman.”

“Thank you, Harry,” Susan said while Hannah simply smiled at him.

“I have spoken with the girls, and they have agreed that it's time for them to take their rightful place on the Wizengamot, and I, as Chief Warlock, have accepted their application,” Madame Longbottom said, and sat down in her chair. Then, Hermione, and Narcissa arrived in the office, and Hermione immediately went over to the Susan and Hannah, and hugged them, and told them how happy she was to see them.

“Mr. Potter, the other members of the Wizengamot are arriving downstairs, and I will call the meeting to order in an hour. Are you ready?”

Harry nodded, and Hermione and the other two girls joined him at her table. “Yes, as much as we can be.”

“Good. I have accepted your appointment of Miss Granger and Ms. Black as your proxies on the Wizengamot. I do not think I need to tell you that this will cause quite a stir among the people here.”

“Good,” Harry said, and grinned. “This place seems it's in a need of stirring. It's gone stale.”

Madame Longbottom arched an eyebrow. “Indeed. Now, there's another matter I think prudent we discuss, before we head down. I was hoping you had someone in mind to name as a candidate for the office of Minister.”

“Already?” Harry asked. “It seems a little soon. Thicknesse's chair has barely gone cold.”

“It is, but we must try and work as normally as possible, Mr. Potter. The people need the Ministry to look strong, and for that, we must have a Minister.”

Narcissa tapped her finger on her lips a few times, in thought. “We need someone who knows the rules and laws of the Realm thoroughly. Someone who is unwilling to bend the law, and a stickler for rules, and will not be bought with promise of wealth.”

Harry stared at his lover wide eyed, before he leaned his head back and groaned. “Is there no one else?”

Hermione bit back a grin. “You know she's right, Harry. I know he's not exactly fun, but for better or for worse, he's exactly what we need, right now. Plus, he's a pureblood, which might smooth things over a little.”

Harry sighed. “He's still a sanctimonious, self righteous git.”

“Do you want me to talk to him?” Narcissa asked.

Harry shook his head, and opened the door. “No, it's best it comes from me. It'll ensure his loyalty, if nothing else. But I swear, if he mentions cauldron bottom thickness even once, I'm booting him through the bloody Veil.”

000000

Madame Longbottom surveyed the chambers of the Wizengamot with a practised eye, and took note of all who were there, and was satisfied with how many had attended. Of course there were a few missing, due to a number of reasons, but just about two thirds were in attendance, which was more than enough for them to get to business. She thumped her gavel down a few times.

“Order!” All those gathered took their seats quickly, and gave the old matriarch their undivided attention. “I hereby call this session of the Wizengamot to order. Due to the abruptness of the summons, this session is largely unplanned, and there are but a few items on the agenda.”

No one said a word, and Augusta went on. “Right then. Esteemed members of the Wizengamot, there are quite a few empty seats here today, but I am glad to inform you all that four of those seats will be filled this morning. The heirs to those seats, have staked their claim.”

A loud buzzing went around the chamber, and forced Madame Longbottom to, once again, thump her gavel onto her podium.

“Hannah Abbott, Susan Bones, Neville Longbottom, and Harry James Potter approached me this morning and I, as acting Chief Warlock, have accepted their applications.”

The doors of the courtroom opened slowly, and the four people she had mentioned walked in, their heads held high. All of them, were wearing the outfits, traditionally worn by the lawgivers of Wizarding Britain. Except for Harry, who had insisted on wearing his normal clothes, much to Narcissa's annoyance.

There was absolutely no chance he was going to be wearing one of those hats.

Many of those seated were quite happy to learn there was to be an influx of young minds into the Wizengamot, but quite a few of the more conservative members, and especially those suspected to lean to the extremes Tom Riddle was known to preach, were very worried. All those kids were heirs of families firmly rooted in the Light. It was sure to upset the balance.

The Chief Warlock quickly had the four of them take the oath and Susan, Hannah, and Neville took their seats, leaving Harry behind. What was going on now? The boy should take his seat, so they could move things along.

“Throughout the history of the Wizengamot, there have been a few occasions where a member has held two seats, as the heir of two Houses. And the young man in front of me is the heir of one Sirius Black, and is the current Head of the Noble and Ancient House of Black.”

Ignoring the shocked faces of some of her fellow Wizengamot members, Madame Longbottom marched onwards. “But, as the law states, a member of this august body can only sit one, and a proxy must be named for the second. Now, Mr. Potter, who will act as your proxy on the Black seat?”

Harry nodded at the Chief Warlock. “I have asked Narcissa Black to act as my proxy, Chief Warlock. She has my complete trust, and I have faith she will act in the best interest of Britain, or as her conscience dictates.”

Silence followed Harry's words. Then a man rose from his seat, and cleared his throat. Augusta motioned with her arm. “Mr. Selwyn.”

“Narcissa Black... I had heard rumours she had taken up her maiden name, but I thought it had been just that... Rumours.”

Harry grinned at the man as Narcissa made her way from the gallery, and into the rows of seats, and sat down in the seat marked for the Blacks. “Nope. No rumours, Selwyn. I've voided the marriage contracts of both Narcissa, and her sister Bellatrix. They are Blacks now, and beholden to no one.”

Selwyn stared at the boy. “This is highly... irregular, Mr. Potter. When marriage contracts are in play, pureblood families try to work out their differences.”

Harry snorted, and shook his head a as he looked around the gathering. Then he walked over to the speaker podium, and the Chief Warlock motioned for him to speak. Harry reached into his coat pocket, and removed a few envelopes, and placed them on the podium.

“Are you suggesting I try to work out the differences between Narcissa, and that disgusting piece of shit she was married to, Selwyn?”

The other man sneered at Harry. “The Malfoys are a distinguished family of the purest blood, and Lucius is a man of great means, Potter. I rather think you should curb your tongue.”

Harry laughed. “I'm not afraid of Lucy, and he doesn't deserve any respect, nor does anyone who willingly serves Tom Riddle. They're nothing but criminals who should be put down, like the dogs they are.”

“Some believe Riddle is the only one who's willing to do what is necessary, to preserve our way of life, Potter,” Selwyn said heatedly, and was clearly becoming angry. Harry had to hold back a grin. This was going exactly as Narcissa had predicted.

“The way of purebloods, you mean,” Harry shot back, and glared at the man. “I could talk all day about how completely wrong you are on that point, Selwyn, but I don't have that long, so... Abbot, Bones, Crouch, Diggory, Longbottom, Lovegood, McKinnon, Potter, Prewett. My fellow Wizengamot members, I ask you, do those names mean anything to you? What do most of them have in common?”

Selwyn sat down, and joined the other members in the silence that followed Harry's words, then the whispers started. “Riddle is the protector of the purebloods, and their way of life, is he?” Harry asked, rhetorically. “Well, let's take a closer look at those names I mentioned, shall we? Hannah is the last Abbott, and Susan is the last of the Bones. The Crouches are gone, as are the Diggorys. Neville is the last of his own line, no offence, Chief Warlock.”

“None taken, Mr. Potter. I am rather unlikely to bear more children, and Frank and Alice... Well everyone knows what happened to them. Please, do go on.”

“Thank you," Harry said, and inclined his head. "The McKinnons are gone, I'm the last Potter and the Prewetts are gone. And Luna, of course, is the last of the Lovegoods. Xenophilius Lovegood was murdered by Avery, Macnair, and Mulchiber, all members of Riddle's Inner Circle, his elite. I arrived too late to save Mr. Lovegood, but those three won't harm anyone else. I made sure of that.”

A huge ruckus erupted, and many of the conservative members of the purebloods leaped from their seats, shouting and waving their arms, and didn't stop until Madame Longbottom shot a blast out of her wand.

“Order!” Slowly, the pandemonium died down, and people returned to their seats.

“So you willingly admit to being the person known as the Vigilante?” someone asked.

Harry scoffed. “Of course I do. I'm not about the let someone else take credit, for my work.”

“There's something known as 'due process, boy!” Selwyn shouted, and stood up, yet again. “You cannot go around murdering people! Aurors, arrest this man!” None of the Aurors moved, however.

“So I can assume you lot went to Mr. Lovegood's home, and ordered him executed?” Harry asked sarcastically. “Sit down, and stop making a fool out of yourself. I didn't murder them, I _killed_ them. There's a war on, in case you didn't know, and people die in war. Let me make this clear! Riddle doesn't care even a bit about the status of your blood. He's just using it as a platform, for his conquest. He cares about himself, his power, and nothing else. And if he wins this war, he will lead this world to ruin. Something has to change! And I've written down some of what I believe needs to happen.”

“You mean this,” Parkinson said, and waved a copy of Harry's notes in his hand. “This effectively takes centuries old traditions, and eliminates them from our society. You cannot expect us to pass any of this,” the man said, and frowned on the parchment in his hand.

Harry shrugged. “And why not? It's the pureblood bigotry, and arrogance that landed us in this mess, and it only makes sense to me to throw it out,” Harry replied and scanned the room once again.

”The rest of the world has left us behind, everyone. Wizarding Britain has not moved forward, in at least two hundred years, and you know why? Because of pureblood fools, who are more interested in maintaining their wealth, status and power, than moving society forward.”

At that moment, Greengrass rose from his seat. “These are some very serious accusations, Mr. Potter. Do you have anything to substantiate your words? And may I say, for the record, that I find your disregard for our traditions troubling.”

Harry snorted at that, with evident disgust. “And which traditions are you referring to? Something like this, perhaps?”

Harry picked up the envelopes he'd received earlier that morning, that bore the seal of Greengrass and Parkinson. Both men became rather uncomfortable at the sight of them. Surely he the boy wouldn't. This was a highly personal matter, not fit for discussion, in such an open forum. Unfortunately for them, Harry was indeed about to have a “open discussion” about the contents of those envelopes.

“Slavery was abolished in the British Empire in 1833, and the wizarding half of the empire followed, a few years later. And yet, here we are, almost 170 years later, and men are still selling people. I hold here in my hands a pair of contracts sent to me this morning, by one Cyrus Greengrass, and Perseus Parkinson. Apparently, both of them see me fit for a son-in-law, since they're offering their daughters to me, a man they don't even know!”

Greengrass cleared his throat, and stood, clear anger in his features. “How dare you! How dare you refer to my daughter as a slave!”

Harry arched an eyebrow and shrugged. “Isn't that was she is, though? I sincerely doubt Daphne was asked, whether or not she wanted this. Which I doubt she does. We don't even know each other. I honestly don't think I've said a single word, to her.”

“I am her father, and Head of House, and I decides what's best for my House,” Greengrass said.

Harry made a face. “I couldn't help but notice how you mentioned your House. I can only assume from that tidbit, that this was a power play on your part. Well, let me make this clear. I will never work with people, who use their children as bargaining chips.”

A sigh escaped Harry's lips. “We're not in the fucking middle ages any longer. It's almost the year two thousand, for Merlin's sake. Oh, and by the way, Parkinson, your daughter is down in the cells. She was fighting with the Death Eaters, when we retook the Ministry. She has a rather interesting Mark, on her left forearm. I'm assuming you didn't know, since even a brainless idiot would have realized I would never even consider marrying someone, who willingly took Riddle's Mark.”

Incredibly, Perseus managed to hold his temper, and said nothing, as there was nothing to say. He had suspected his daughter had foolishly allowed herself to be branded by the madman Riddle, and all he could do now was distance himself from the fool girl.

“Nothing to say? Well, I can't say I'm surprised, really. But speaking of contracts. They need to stop. It cannot go on, this bartering of people. Some,” Harry said, and opened yet another envelope, “were even so intent on having their daughter married off to the 'right' person, they were willing to Compel her to their contracted spouse.”

A murmur went around the chamber at Harry's words. “I hold here in my hand a contract between Cygnus Black, and Corvus Lestrange, which was charmed with a compulsion, tied to Bellatrix, and effectively made her Rodolphus' puppet. What's even worse, is that the witness placed his own compulsion on the contract. Tom Marvolo Riddle, also known as Lord Voldemort.”

Almost every person in the room flinched at the mention of the name, but Harry ingored it. “I'm sure most of you understand, what this means.”

Harry looked around the chamber, and took in the disgusted faces of the people assembled there. He caught the smiling face of his lover Narcissa, and he winked at her.

The Chief Warlock spoke up next. “I have had this confirmed by a third party, and I move to have Bellatrix examined by a mind healer at St. Mungo's. Her sister, Andromeda has been working with her, ever since the compulsion was broken by Mr. Potter.” At that point, Augusta took a deep breath. “I can scarcely believe I am saying this, but I move we drop all charges against Ms. Black, pending an investigation, and levy them against the ones who are responsible; Riddle and Lestrange.”

A fairly loud commotion followed the Chief Warlock's suggestion, but ultimately, it was agreed that Bellatrix would be under probation, until such a time a mind healer, other than her sister could declare her fully sane. After that, the Wizengamot session went for hours, as the mages discussed a great many things, most of which was centred on Harry's memo.

No point was talked about in too much detail, as it was more of a forum for Harry to explain his views, and the reasoning behind them. They were after all, merely memos, and not bills of law. Things went rather well, all things considered, with minimal fuss, until Harry announced he was not going to be manning the Potter seat himself.

“Is there anything else, Mr. Potter?” Chief Warlock Longbottom asked, once they had gone over all the notes in Harry's memo.

Harry inlined his head her way. “Yes, Chief Warlock, there's one more thing I wish to announce. As I stated earlier, there's a war on, and I fully intend to be on the front lines as much as I can. Because of that, I have decided to delegate my responsibilities as the Potter representative to my best friend, and the smartest person I know, Hermione Jean Granger.”

If Harry thought some of the things he'd said that day had been explosive, nothing could have prepared him for the utter chaos that erupted at this latest revelation. Almost all of the most conservative members of the Wizengamot were practically frothing at the mouth, and some were even fingering their wands. Predictably, Selwyn sprang to his feet as Hermione made her way to her seat, her head held high.

“This is an outrage! A Muggle-born on the Wizengamot? And sitting in for one of the oldest Wizarding families? Surely this cannot be allowed to stand!? The very idea is threatening to make me vomit, and I'm not the only one, I'm certain!”

Harry spied Narcissa, and quite a few others shaking their heads at the man. Had he learned nothing at all? Narcissa rose from her seat, to speak for the first time.

“I, for one, will welcome Miss Granger into this gathering with open arms,” Cissy said with a smile. “Miss Granger has been spoken of as the brightest witch of her generation, and I can say with confidence, that she is very much deserving of the title. She is extremely intelligent, and will no doubt be an incredible asset to the Wizengamot. And let us not forget the law, which clearly states Miss Granger's appointment is, while unprecedented, perfectly legal.”

Selwyn became even angrier at that. “A Muggle-born has no business telling wizards what to do.”

Narcissa actually laughed at that. “Well, by your logic, it could also be said, that wizards have no business telling goblins, centaurs, vampires, werewolves, Veela, or giants what to do, and yet, we've been doing so for centuries.”

Harry slammed his fist into the podium, and it cracked under the pressure. “This is exactly the kind of attitude that needs to be eradicated from our society. I cannot see a single person in here, more qualified to sit in the Wizengamot than Hermione, and you lot would dismiss her, simply because of her birth.”

Harry shook his head, in irritation. “Our closest allies, across the Channel judge people based on merit, and that's why they've left us behind completely. All you need in _this_ country, to have a decent life, is to have _pure_ blood. We could have Hermione, and Goyle Jr. apply for the same position in the Ministry, and Hermione wouldn't even be considered, because she's a Muggle-born.”

“Well, the Goyles are an old, established family,” Greengrass said. “Tradition dictates...”

“Goyle Jr. is a bloody halfwit, who has no business working for the Ministry in any capacity. I'm honestly surprised he isn't dead yet, because I'm fairly certain he cannot walk, and breathe at the same time. We should always opt for the most qualified person available, irrespective of their blood status.”

“And I suppose you want to get rid of the purebloods, then?” Selwyn asked with a sneer.

Harry shook his head. “No, of course not. I've repeatedly said today, that I believe everyone has to have a voice in here. Every view is needed, for the Wizengamot to be able to make an informed decision.”

Casting a discrete _Tempus,_ the Chief Warlock thumped her gavel a few times. “Well, this session most certainly went on a lot longer than expected. I suggest we postpone this meeting to next week. Our members will then have had more time to ponder over everything that was said today.

000000

Harry was utterly exhausted as he sat down in front of the fire in his room. How incredibly relieved he was, to know this was the only time he would ever have to spend any time on the floor of the Wizengamot. Jesus _bloody_ Christ, that place was horrible. It was like people went out of their way to make things difficult. Well, Hermione had always enjoyed a challenge.

He had travelled to his Stronghold a few minutes earlier, leaving Narcissa and Hermione at the Ministry, as they had wished to discuss the day's events. They had told him they would not be home until very late, since a lot of people had expressed a desire to speak with them, so they would have many meetings to attend.

Harry heard a pair of voices approach the room, and within a moment, Andie and Nym entered. He sent them a tired smile, which they returned. Tonks waved at him, while Andie walked to him, and plomped herself onto his lap, and latched onto his lips with her own. At first, Harry was a little uncomfortable, knowing Nym was there, but Andie certainly wasn't, and acted as if they were alone.

“Ahem,” Tonks cleared her throat. “You two do realize I'm still here, right?”

The lovers stopped then, and Andie made herself comfortable on Harry's lap. “I invited my daughter to come and live here. I hope you don't mind, Harry,” Andie said.

“Of course not,” Harry replied. “You're more than welcome to stay here with us, Nym. You know that, don't you? I'm here for you if you need to talk, OK?”

Tonks gave him another smile. “I do, Harry. Thank you. I'll take you up on that, one of these days, I reckon. I suppose I should go, and help Fleur prepare. I'll see you in the morning.”

And with that, she left, and closed the door behind her. Once that was done, Andie waved her wand, and Harry could hear the door lock itself. Another wave and the room became soundproof. Harry arched an eyebrow. Andie put a finger to his lips, and got of his lap. He attempted to rise as well, but she pushed him down firmly.

“Stay, and enjoy,” she said huskily and began to move slowly, to a rhythm only she could hear.

She started with her blouse. Agonizingly slow, one by one, she removed her clothes, until she was completely bare. The show was incredible, and she was utterly perfect, and Harry was almost fit for bursting. He leapt from his seat, and descended upon his lover like a massive, ravenous bird of prey.

And hungry he was. He straddled her, and trailed kisses all over her body, encouraged by her moans of approval. He started removing his clothes, in the same slow manner as she had, but apparently, Andromeda Black figured she had waited long enough, for this. She vanished his clothes, and gave him a look of pure lust, and need.

“Come to me, my love.”

000000

It was well after midnight when Narcissa, and Hermione Apparated into the cave, where the door into the Stronghold could be found. The older woman led the younger one toward the door. Hermione was fascinated by the place, and stopped to examine the door, which opened by itself, when Narcissa touched it.

“This way, Hermione. This has been a quite a day and I long for my bed.”

Hermione looked a bit shameful. “Yes, of course.”

The pair of them entered, and Narcissa led Hermione toward the kitchen. They were both quite hungry, and had planned to have a little something to eat, before going to bed. They entered the kitchen, only to find Harry there, his back turned to the door, as he busied himself with something. Having reined in his senses, and engrossed in his work, he'd not noticed them arrive. Hermione's gasp tore hiss attention from the fruit he was slicing.

“Harry! What...”

Hermione was speechless, as she stared at her friend's naked upper body. While she realized on some level, that he had become an incredible specimen of human anatomy, her eyes, at that moment could only focus on the scars that littered his body. A number of fresh, bleeding claw marks could be seen on his shoulder blades.

“Oh. Hello, you two. I was wondering when you were going to come home. It is rather late, you know,” Harry said to Narcissa while ignoring Hermione, who was still staring.

“Well, there was a lot to do, Harry,” his lover said, and kissed him lightly on the lips. “I suppose these,” she pointed at the sliced fruit, “are for Andie?”

“She was hungry,” Harry explained, and picked up the plate.

“Ah.” Narcissa examined the new wounds on his back with a grin. “Who knew she'd be the one to do that? My gold would have been placed on Bella.”

Harry laughed at that. “Yeah,” he told her, before bidding her good night and then he left.

Narcissa picked up an orange from a bowl on the table, and started peeling it with her wand. “Would you like a piece of this fruit, Hermione?”

This seemed to rouse the bushy haired girl from her reverie. “The scars... I had no idea... Just how was he able to survive on his own, for so long?”

Narcissa smiled fondly at her new friend. “He's really rather stubborn, that one. Orange?”

Hermione accepted the offered fruit, but did not eat it. She stared at it for a long while, until eventually, she took a small bite, savouring the taste, which allowed her to calm down a bit. It didn't do anything to allay her guilt, however. Where had she been when he'd been out there, risking life, and limb for his country?

“Don't do this to yourself, Hermione.”

“What?”

“Do not blame yourself for any of this, because it's not your fault, or anyone else's. This was the road Harry chose, and it was a lonely one, but we will change all of that. You. Me. Andie. Bella. And the others. He will never be alone again. We will see to that,” Narcissa said with conviction.

“How do you deal with his brooding?” Hermione asked after a while and helped herself to another piece of orange.

Narcissa gave Hermione a mischievous grin, which the younger woman did not notice, as she was looking around the room with interest.

“Well, I've found the activity in which my sister, and Harry indulged earlier, and are most likely repeating right now to be a very good way to lift his spirits.”

Hermione choked on her orange, and gave Narcissa an scandalous stare. “Wh... What?”

“Oh, come now, Hermione! You cannot tell me you didn't think of something like that, when you saw him earlier.”

Hermione went crimson, and could not meet Narcissa's eyes. “I did not!” She bit her lower lip anxiously. “Alright, I did, but that's just because...”

“Because he's fitter than Brad bloody Pitt?”

Both women were a little startled by the appearance of Tonks, who was leaning on the door frame, grinning at Hermione, who turned even redder, if possible.

“He is a fine one, isn't he, Nymphadora?” Narcissa asked, and flashed her niece a brilliant smile, ignoring her annoyed look at the use of the _name_.

“ _Oui._ He is _trés magnifique_!”

Tonks entered the kitchen properly, and allowed Fleur Delacour to come in as well. Narcissa inclined her head to the Veela, and went into the larder, and brought out more food. Her niece, and her friend were clearly hungry.

“You've completed the preparations, Miss Delacour?” she asked, and waved her wand and dishes, as well as utensils were summoned to the table.

“Yes, what preparations can be made at home for such an expedition,” Fleur said, and reached for a slice of bread. “Some things we must procure in Egypt, since some of what I'd like to take with us is illegal to bring over from England.”

“Very good,” Narcissa said. “Now, please, eat. I have something for the pair of you.”

Narcissa quit the kitchen, and reappeared quickly with a couple of boxes. She handed Tonks and Fleur one each, before she sat down, and picked out another fruit from the bowl, an apple this time, and sliced it with a knife.

“As soon as you two announced your intentions to accompany Harry on this latest adventure, I went ahead and commissioned two more of the suits my sisters, and I wore when we went to Hogwarts.”

The two women opened the boxes and extracted the suits, and Tonks let out a whistle of appreciation. “Bloody hell, aunt Cissy, these are brilliant!”

Fleur nodded in agreement. “Yes, they are very well made. You certainly have an eye for quality, Ms. Black.”

“Please, it's Narcissa.”

“Harry doesn't have one?” Hermione asked as she examined Tonks's suit, taking special note of the intricate rune work.

“You reckon Harry should try and crossdress, Hermione? Expand his horizons?” Tonks asked with a grin.

Narcissa chuckled at her niece. “He does. I had one made for him as well, but I'm not sure he'll want to wear it,” she said with a rueful smile.

“Why ever not?” Hermione asked wide eyed, but then shook her head in exasperation. “I suppose he'll tell you he won't need it, that he's been fine so far. That boy...”

“Indeed,” Narcissa confirmed with a small laugh. “You certainly know your friend, Hermione.”

“Hmmph.” Tonks huffed. “I'll make sure the idiot wears it, then.”

The women had had their fill, and Narcissa waved her wand, and everything was sent to its proper place, followed by the automated wash starting. Tonks and Fleur excused themselves to their rooms, to try out their armours while Cissy and Hermione made their way to the lounge, and made themselves comfortable, all notions of sleep forgotten.

After a moment, the Veela and Metamorph joined them in the lounge and Cissy had to mentally congratulate herself on the work. The suits fit them beautifully, and they were both obviously very comfortable.

“So,” Narcissa began, and turned to Fleur and Tonks, and eyed them, her gaze extremely serious. “You're leaving for Egypt tomorrow night. Now, there's something I must discuss with you two before you do. I have already had this discussion with Hermione, and she has accepted her feelings on the matter. While I know this is a bit much to throw at you now, I believe not telling you about it before you leave is worse.”

Fleur seemed unruffled, but Tonks became a bit uncomfortable at her aunt's intense expression. “What is it?” she asked.

Narcissa took a deep breath. “What are your feelings toward Harry?”

Whatever the two women had been expecting, that question hadn't been it. How they felt about Harry? What business of Narcissa's were their feelings? Tonks eyed Fleur out of the corner of her eye, and found she was just as flustered as she herself.

“You love him, don't you?” Narcissa asked, pressing them further.

Another question that left them reeling. What? How did she know?

“I do not see how that is any of your business, Ms. Black,” Fleur said coldly, her mask slipping into place. “It has no bearing on any of this.”

“Yeah!” Tonks agreed. “What she said.”

Narcissa shook her head. “While it may be true, that it isn't any of my business, it does in fact have everything to do, with all of this.”

“Then I suggest you go ahead and tell us, Narcissa,” Fleur said.

Narcissa nodded, and went over everything the centaur had told them in the Forbidden forest, and the two women became a bit overwhelmed by it. Seven women? That was utterly ridiculous; how would it even work? Were they even willing to share the man they loved?

The idea was honestly preposterous. Sure, every woman in the room knew more than one woman was not that unusual, in itself, but _seven_? Despite feeling a weird about the whole thing, Tonks felt she was taking things better than both Fleur and Hermione. Of course, they didn't do things like that in France, and Hermione was a Muggle-born.

“There's something brewing, and Harry will be at the centre of it, and will need our help and support,” Narcissa said. “It is very possible I may have made a mistake in telling you about what the centaur told us sisters, but I have a very strong sense that we mustn't wait.”

“She's right.”

Every woman in the room turned toward the door, and saw Andromeda enter. She was wearing a silk robe, that was loosely tied together in the front. She was clearly tired, but at the same time, looked strangely refreshed. Satisfied. There was a glow about her.

“Oh, you're here,” Bella said with a grin. “I'd have thought-”

“Shut it!” Tonks growled at her aunt. “I don't need to hear it.”

Bella's only response was a little laugh and a wink.

Andromeda walked over to the Floo, threw a pinch of powder into it, and disappeared, only to reappear a moment later with a somewhat flustered Minerva, who was wearing her nightgown, and it was readily apparent that Andie had woken her up.

“Unless Harry's in dire straits, I am going right back to my bed, Andromeda. I need my sleep,” Minerva said, a little of her accent breaking through in her annoyance. “What is so important, that it cannae wait til the morrow?” Her eyes roamed the room, and she raised an inquisitive eyebrow.

“I'm sorry for waking you, Minerva, but this cannot wait, since Harry, and the others will be leaving for Egypt tomorrow,” Andie said, and sat down next to Bellatrix.

“Alright.”

Now, we're all here,” Narcissa said, and began pacing in front of the fireplace.

“What do you mean by that, Narcissa,” Minerva asked.

“All seven of us, who are in love with Harry.”

Minerva's eyes found Hermione's, Fleur's, and Nymphadora's, and she could see the truth of it. So, they were the Owl, Swallow, and Chameleon. She had to admit finding it strange that Miss Granger and Harry had never gotten together at Hogwarts, and she had always felt there was something between Harry, and the young Metamorph, but Miss Delacour?

Andromeda sat in a conjured chair, and ran a hand through her tousled hair, then gazed into the fire for a long while. After a moment, she turned troubled eyes upon her sisters.

“So, how are we going to make this work?”


	14. XV

XV

Hermione made her way into the kitchen, her head swimming with thoughts. She was alone in the house with Harry, who was still sleeping. _Harry_. He was all she could think about, he invaded every thought, every moment. She was hopelessly in love with him, but she was extremely conflicted.

She knew she wanted to be with him, but could she get past her own scruples and Muggle upbringing and accept being in a relationship with Harry, and six other women? If Harry even wanted her. Narcissa had assured her that wouldn't be a problem, but Hermione was still uncomfortable with the whole idea. She had planned to spend the day with Harry, so perhaps they might discuss it.

She was planning on going to her parent's house to fetch Crookshanks. He had been staying there, a few days after she'd moved in with the Weasleys, because the cat could not stand Ron. And Ron, in turn could not stand Crookshanks.

In all honesty, that should have told her something about the relationship, because her cat was an excellent judge of character, and the only other person he came into contact with that he didn't like, was Percy. Leaving it at that, she decided to make breakfast. One good thing she had learned from living with Molly Weasley; she made great food.

000000

When Harry awoke, it took him a moment to realize he was alone in his bed. He breathed in slowly through his nose, taking in Andromeda's scent, which permeated the room. It soothed him, and brought a smile to his face. He got dressed, and entered the hallway of the sleeping quarters. He let go of his senses, and discovered all the rooms were empty. More than that, he could only sense a single person in the stronghold, aside from Hedwig, who barked contentedly at him from a perch at the end of the hallway, happy to see him up and about.

Harry walked up to her, and rubbed his fingertip over her beak. “Hello, girl.”

Hedwig hooted at him, and leapt onto his shoulder. Harry winced ever so slightly as her talons gripped him, but in truth, it wasn't that painful. He made his way toward the kitchen, the smell of frying bacon urging him on.

He eyed Hedwig from the corner of his eye. Was she sick? Why the blazes had she been sitting on her perch, and not pestering Hermione for a piece of bacon? He entered the kitchen and found his best friend toiling away in there, and already, there were several dishes of food on the table, which was set for two.

“Morning, Hermione,” Harry greeted his friend, and sat at the table. “What's all this?”

Hermione turned sharply on her heel. “Oh! Harry, you startled me!”

“Sorry,” Harry said, and held up his hands. “I'm still getting used to not being alone in here,” he said, and picked up a piece of bread, and started feeding his owl, but kept teasing her, which turned into a game between the two of them. He would put a piece of bread at her beak, and she would try and nick it from him, before he managed to pull his hand away.

Hermione turned her attention back to minding the bacon and eggs, but she was finding it hard to concentrate on her work with Harry in the room. His hair was dishevelled, ruffled in the back as always, and the way he was playing with Hedwig, was simply adorable. His presence was... intoxicating, simply put.

“Where are the others?” Harry asked, as his friend approached the table, carrying the bacon and eggs.

“Narcissa had something to do down at the Ministry. Bella went somewhere with her staff, and that book she found, and Tonks and her mother are going to spend the day together in Muggle London. I believe Fleur went home to say goodbye to her family. They'll all return for supper.”

Harry nodded. “You didn't go with Cissy? I would have thought they'd have to pull you out of there with a tow truck.”

Hermione smiled at her friend. “There'll be enough time for that later.” Her smiled faltered, and she became serious. “You're going away again, Harry and I wanted to spend the day with you. First, I was planning on going to my parent's house and fetch Crookshanks, and I was hoping you'd come with me.”

“Sure, I'll join you.”

000000

Shortly after they'd had breakfast, Hermione side-Apparated with Harry to Hampstead, a very affluent area of North-London. She had a particular spot she liked to Apparate to, whenever she went to visit her parents. It was a park she and her parents had frequented, when she was small. It was not too far away from her house, it would take maybe half an hour to walk there at a leisurely pace.

They had appeared at her chosen spot, and as soon as they did, Harry turned slowly in a circle, and took in the area. Then he did something peculiar. He closed his eyes, and slowly breathed in and out, and raised his arms slightly from his sides. Then he opened his eyes, and smiled.

“I like this place, Hermione. It's got a good feeling about it. You have a lot of good memories from this park, I suspect.”

Hermione nodded. “I do. My parents, and I used to come here all the time.”

“Right.”

They walked along the path in the park in a companionable silence for a while, when Hermione simply could not keep silent any more.

“Harry?”

“Yeah?”

“Is Hedwig glued to your shoulder?”

Hedwig's chest puffed out, and she glared reproachfully at Hermione, then flew off to the nearest tree. She landed gracefully, and turned her baleful stare at the bushy haired one, once again. What was that female's problem? What business was it of hers, what she, the most important female in Harry's life did with him? If she wanted to perch on his shoulder, she would. Hmpf. That one was lucky she served her proper bacon earlier. Otherwise, the girl would have felt her talons!

Harry chuckled at the owl's antics. “She's been like that since she found me again, Hermione. She missed me, and you can't even imagine how much I missed her.”

Harry had walked a few steps, before he noticed Hermione had stopped walking. “You alright, Hermione?”

“She wasn't the only one,” Hermione mumbled.

“Pardon?”

“Hedwig. She wasn't the only one, who missed you.”

“Hermione, I-” Harry began, but faltered.

Hermione walked over to a pond, a little ways of the path. She stared into the water, and as Harry approached her, he could see she was struggling to maintain her composure, barely succeeding. She finally turned around, and slapped him on the cheek with some force, before she turned away again, taking deep breaths. After a few moments, she had regained enough control to articulate her thoughts.

“I never had any friends growing up. I tried, but I could never connect with any of the other children around here. I was too smart for my age, I think. When they would play tag, or some other game, I would sit with my parents, and leaf through some books, or ask them a million questions.”

“So, I turned to my books. They were my friends. They didn't judge, didn't leave when I over analysed whatever game we were playing, or groaning over how stupid the film was. Bossing everyone else around was another thing I did. Kids don't have any patience for a person like that.”

“I know what it's like to be lonely, Hermione,” Harry said, and walked to her side. “Dudley made sure of that, by beating anyone who looked like they wanted to be my friend.”

Hermione ignored Harry's comment, and went on with her story. “Then came the Hogwarts letter, and every strange little event in my life thus far, made sense. I was eight years old when I had my first bout of accidental magic, that I can remember. I pulled a ball point pen a few inches, when I couldn't reach it.”

She eyed Harry. “What was your first?”

Harry grinned at his friend. “I Apparated to the roof of my school when I was being chased by Dudders, and his Duddies, and the week after that, I regrew my hair overnight, after my aunt gave my this terrible haircut, using a pair of kitchen scissors.” Harry made clipping motion with two fingers.

Hermione shook her head, and laughed at Harry. “Why is it, that everything you do is always over the top? Apparating for your first bout of magic... Only you Harry James. Anyway, I was elated when I got my letter. I was so happy when I realized that I would be going to be a part of a different world, a world where no one knew me, where I could reinvent myself.”

“Those are some heavy thoughts, for a eleven year old,” Harry remarked.

“They are,” Hermione agreed. “But I was so fed up with it all. So, I got onto the Hogwarts Express, and I met Neville, who had just lost his toad.”

Harry nodded. “Right, I remember. That's when you met Ron and me.”

“And slipped right back into my old self,” Hermione said with a frown.

“It's who you are, Hermione. You shouldn't have to feel the need to change who you are, to appease someone else. It'll only make you feel miserable.”

Hermione looked at her friend with a somewhat bemused expression. “When did you become wise, Harry?”

Harry chuckled at that. “Spending a year with a thousand year old is bound to change something, Hermione.”

They were silent for a few moments.

“I was about to give up, you know,” Hermione told her friend. “On Hogwarts. That Halloween, in the bathroom, after Charms class. I had decided to ask to be allowed to leave for home. I was alone, in a huge castle, in the middle of the Scottish highlands. At least back here, I had my parents. Then I was attacked by a troll, and this insane boy came rushing to my aid. It was such a horrible experience, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. It marked the beginning of the best few years of my life.”

“Yeah. Despite everything, we had a great time, all things considered,” Harry said, and smiled.

“Then you disappeared. Left me alone,” Hermione whispered.

“I'm sorry, Hermione,” Harry said, and took her hand in his.

“It's alright, Harry,” Hermione said. “Hitting you in the face was very therapeutic.”

Harry frowned, then noticed a tiny tremor in the corner of his friend's mouth. “Ho! Look everyone, we've a comic in our midst! At least you didn't punch me, like you did Malfoy. That would have been embarrassing. Instead, I got a bitchslap. Not embarrassing at all.”

Hermione laughed out loud at that.

“Are you certain you're alright?” Harry asked when Hermione stopped laughing.

“Yes, I am. I don't want to waste any more time, being angry with my best friend.”

000000

“So, I asked you here to pick up my cat, but I really wanted you here, because I'd like you to meet my parents, Harry,” Hermione said as they entered the street where her parents lived.

Harry was a little confused. “I have met your parents before, Hermione.”

“You have? When?”

“Don't you remember?” Harry asked. “That day in Diagon Alley, before our second year. We met outside Gringotts...”

“And...”

Harry thought about the day, and finally, he eyed his friend. “I haven't really met them, have I?”

Hermione laughed at that. “No, you haven't. As I remember it, Mr. Weasley hijacked them, and they couldn't get away from him, until he got into that confrontation with Mr. Malfoy.”

“Yeah, that sounds about right.”

They walked the rest of the way in silence, and finally, they came up on a quiet street, with houses on one side, and a view of a park on the other. While the houses weren't too large, Harry knew this had to be one of the most expensive neighbourhoods in London. Hermione's parents were dentists, but he had not thought drilling people's teeth was quite _that_ lucrative.

“Dad comes from money.”

“Hmm?”

“I can see it on your face, Harry. You're wondering how they can afford to live here.”

“Well, I know dentists do alright, but this seems a bit much. I mean, look at that view.”

“We're here,” Hermione said, and motioned to a house that had a brand new Seven series BMW parked outside it.

“That's a nice car,” Harry remarked, and approached it. It was done in a very dark blue colour, and looked like it had been waxed recently.

“I suppose. Mum's the car enthusiast. Dad and I couldn't care less what kind of car we have, so long as it does it's job.”

“Can't disagree with you there. I don't know anything about cars, really.”

“You're more of a motorcyclist, aren't you, Harry?” Hermione asked with a grin.

“Who put a Penny in you, then?” Harry asked back, when he joined Hermione on the steps. “You just keep them coming, eh?”

They came up to the door, and Hermione rapped her knuckles on it three times. They waited a for almost a full minute, before Harry heard someone come to the door. It swung open, and as soon as it did, Crookshanks flew into Herrmione's arms, purring like an old diesel engine. Harry couldn't help but smile.

Harry turned his gaze from his friend and her cat, and onto the person who had opened the door. She was a woman in her late forties, and it was clear, Hermione took strongly after her mother. They had the same build, same eyes, same nose, and if Harry wasn't mistaken, Jean had once had an overbite, like her daughter.

“Hello, Mum,” Hermione said and let Crookhanks go, so that she could hug her mother.

“Hello, dear. Richard! Hermione's here! And who's this young man?”

Before Hermione could introduce Harry, her father arrived. He grabbed his daughter in a bear hug, which was returned just as enthusiastically by her. Richard Granger was a tall, robust man, who was clearly in good shape, and obviously worked hard to keep that way. He had warm eyes, with plenty of laugh lines around them, and his hair was a bit wild, just like his daughter's.

“It's been too long, sweetheart.”

“Sorry, things have been very hectic over the past few weeks. Anyway. Mum, Dad, this is Harry. Harry, my parents, Jean, and Richard.”

Both her parents turned, and regarded Harry, who felt like he was being weighed, and measured. Harry thought he could feel a slight animosity from them, but couldn't be sure. Richard finally extended his hand in a greeting.

“So, we finally meet. About time, too. Wouldn't you agree, Jean?”

“Yes, indeed,” she said, and extended her own hand for Harry to grab. “Please, come in. I'll make tea.”

They entered the house, but when Hermione meant to call Crookshanks, he had gone to climb a nearby tree, where Hedwig had settled in. The pair made happy sounds, as they had not met for a long time, and they were great friends.

Jean Granger led them to the living room, where she asked them to sit down, before she went to put the kettle on. Harry looked around, and could see pictures of Hermione everywhere, with a few others mixed in. He felt good in this house, it had a wholesome feeling about it, and he was really glad that his friend had grown up in a loving home.

“Hermione, dear! Could you pop to the store, and grab a pack of biscuits. I'm afraid we're all out,” her mother called from the kitchen.

“It's alright, sweetie,” Richard said. “I'll go.”

No, it's fine, Dad,” Hermione reassured her father. “I'll be back in a bit,” she told Harry.

And with that, she left the house, and her friend alone with her father, who leaned back in his seat on the sofa, staring at Harry, who was starting to become uncomfortable. Then Jean came into the room with a tray of tea and cups. She sat it down on the coffee table, and joined her husband on the sofa, giving Harry a similar look her husband was.

“You've been the cause of great heartache for our daughter, over the past two years, young man,” Jean started, and glared at Harry.

“Indeed, you have,” Richard continued. “Would you mind explaining yourself?”

Harry felt he should have known they would ask about that. “I was trying to keep her safe. Or safer, at least. What I've been doing over the last year or so, was extremely dangerous. Brilliant and brave as she is, she would never have survived.”

Their eyes softened at that, and Jean smiled. “That's what we thought,” she said. “In truth, we have plenty of biscuits. We just wanted a moment alone with you.”

“And why is that?” Harry asked.

Richard rubbed his chin for a second. “You are, without a doubt, the most important person in Hermione's life.”

Harry felt a blush coming on. “I'm sure that's not true. I mean, we are each other's best friend, and have been for a long time, but that's-”

“Clueless, like Mr. Oblivious over there,” Jean said, and pointed at her husband.

“Hey! I'm only mostly clueless. I certainly knew how I felt about you, even before you figured it out.”

“Please,” Jean said and rolled her eyes. “That's only what I wanted you to think.”

Ok, what's this about?” Harry asked. This was all very strange.

Jean looked at Harry, before she started speaking. “Over the first two months of Hermione's stay at Hogwarts, she sent us so many letters, Mr. Potter. It was very clear to us, that our little girl wasn't happy, that this new school hadn't been what she'd hoped it would be.”

“Yes, we were rather worried about her, but like Jean said, something changed. After Halloween, in fact. The letters became fever, and things seemed to be looking up. But we noticed another change.”

Jean grinned at Harry, and clasped her hands together. “She began writing about this boy! Our Hermione was taking notice of a boy. Most letters, she spoke a little bit about herself, the schoolwork, and Hogwarts, of course. But mostly, she talked of you, Harry.”

“Well, if she wrote about me,” Harry said, “no doubt, she was complaining about me not taking my studies seriously enough.”

Both of Hermione's parent's laughed heartily at that. “Yes, she was.” Jean smiled. “At first. Then things changed. Over the years, we noticed you were becoming more and more important. She had gained such confidence, and strength, and we knew you were at the heart of it.”

“Harry, we've only recently become aware of what happened on that Halloween night, and we want to thank you for saving Hermione's life. Which you've done over and over again, it turns out.”

Harry scratched the back of his head with a sheepish expression. “Well, anyone would have-”

“No,” Richard said with certainty. “Most people would have run for their lives, when faced with trolls, or a mob of soul sucking demons, or whatever they're called.”

“Then you disappeared, and the old Hermione returned. The bookish, quiet and unassuming girl, that had finally been cast aside. Then we found out she had begun a relationship that Ron fellow,” Richard said with a look that told Harry exactly, how Hermione's dad felt about Ron.

“She never brought him here, you know,” Jean said. “In fact, she didn't talk about him a whole lot. I know she is aware of how we feel about that lazy lout, but I still think, if she is serious about him, she should bring him here to meet us. Wouldn't you agree?”

“Well,” Harry began. “I know it's not my place to tell you this, but I really don't think you're going to have to worry much about Ronald Weasley, from now on.”

Jean stared at Harry, then smiled a relieved smile. “Oh, good. Then you have our blessing.”

“What?” Harry was completely lost. “I have your blessing to do what, exactly?”

Jean shook her head in wonder, and eyed Richard, who grinned at her, and mouthed the word 'oblivious' at her.

“My daughter is very much in love with you, Harry, and I suspect she has been, ever since that troll incident. I'm not certain she knows, to be honest,” Jean went on.

Harry stared at them. “What? Don't be ridiculous.”

Jean stood up, and grabbed Harry's hand, and pulled him to his feet. “Come on, let me show you something.”

Harry allowed himself to be led up the stairs, to the second room on the right, opposite the bathroom. Jean opened the door, and stepped inside, still pulling Harry behind her. She let Harry's hand go, and sat in the chair by the desk, watching Harry as he took in the room.

It was a simple room, really. A bed, desk, and a number of large book cases, filled with all kinds of books. Very neat and tidy. Organized. Almost obsessively so. The room practically screamed **Hermione!**

Harry's eyes found her bed stand, and on it was a large book, which bore the evidence of having been read in its entirety, many times. _**Hogwarts: A history.**_ It was a rare edition, a collector's item, if you will. It was self updating, tied into Hogwart's magic, meaning, anything significant was added by itself.

He had given her that book for Christmas, during fourth year. He had wanted to say thank you for her support after his name came out of that cursed goblet. She had been the only one who hadn't faltered. She had been there, as she always had, and always would. His voice of reason, in a world so often devoid of it.

He opened the book at a random place, and something fell out. He put the book back on the night stand, then bent down and picked it up and turned it around. He could only stare at the picture. Smiling and waving were himself and Hermione, at the Yule ball.

He remembered now. Colin Creevey had asked him if he could take his picture. He'd been talking with Hermione, and she seemed excited. Harry looked back at the picture, and had to smile. Hermione seemed so happy. He was holding her to him by the waist, and she had one hand on his shoulder. She'd been so beautiful that night. Well, he had always thought her beautiful, but that night, she'd been absolutely radiant.

“Do you remember how excited Colin was, when you told him he could take your picture, Harry?” Hermione, who had just returned, asked with a small smile.

“Yeah. He's an excitable fellow.”

“Was,” came the sad reply.

Harry's heart sank. “No. Not Colin.”

“And Dennis.”

Harry sat down on the bed, and kept staring at the picture. Hermione walked slowly over, and sat beside him. She placed a hand on his thigh, and squeezed lightly.

“It's not your fault, Harry.”

Harry sighed. “I know. It's just... He was always such a kid, you know?”

Hermione snorted. “You're just saying that, because he was even smaller than you were, when you started Hogwarts.”

When Harry didn't answer, she became a little worried. He was still staring at the photograph. “What are you thinking, Harry?”

Now, that got a reaction from her friend. He took a deep breath, then turned his emerald gaze upon her. “I had a horrid time at the ball. In fact, this was one of the very few bright moments of that evening. And I was so awful to Parvati. She deserved better, Hermione.”

“Harry, you were a boy at the time. I'm pretty sure you did a lot better than some.”

“Yeah. Thing is, I know now that I asked the wrong girl to the ball. I looked all over for a date, when my perfect date was right under my nose, the whole time. I was a bloody idiot, and I let Krum have her. The arrogant ass couldn't even pronounce your name.”

Hermione's breath caught in her throat. Was this going the way she thought this might go? Then she had thought. Had her parents set this up?

“Harry, what are you saying?”

“I think I may be in love with you, Hermione. Do you... do you suppose you would consider joining me and the others?”

Hermione was silent for a long while. “I don't know, Harry. I do love you. I realize that now, but it's just... I don't know. I truly do love you, I realize that now, but it's just... I don't know. I was raised differently than the others, and then there's this whole thing about me being a role model for the Muggleborn. Me being in a relationship like this, may not send the right message. And, if we're being honest, what we're trying to do here, is larger than us two.”

Harry nodded after a long while. "Yeah. You may be right."

The, Hermione turned her head to the door with a thoughtful expression.

“What is it?” Harry asked.

“You know, I think my parents made this happen.”

“Oh, they do,” Harry confirmed with a grin.

Hermione tilted her head to one side. “What do you know?”

Harry went over their discussion, in some detail.

“They gave you their blessing?” Hermione asked, giggling.

“Yeah. For a moment, I felt like I was in the twenties. The only thing that was missing, was me fondling my hat in my hands, while asking for permission to court their daughter,” Harry said, and they broke out in gleeful laughter.

The friends left the room, making their way into the living room, to find Hermione's parents sipping tea, and eating biscuits the bushy haired girl couldn't help but notice weren't the ones she bought.

“Keeping the new crackers until later, Mum?”

Jean giggled, and Richard became very interested in the paper he was reading. “It's good housekeeping. So, you're going to have a go at it, then?”

“We haven't decided anything,” Hermione replied. “But there's something I think you should know.” Hermione eyed Harry, who was starting to feel awkward. “I wouldn't be the only one.”

“Pardon?” Jean asked.

“I wouldn't the only one Harry would be involved with, Mum.”

Richard looked baffled. “What are you talking about, Hermione? A relationship should be between one man, and one woman. Well, two individuals, as it were.”

“And just how many women are you involved with, young man?” Jean asked firmly.

Harry was feeling more uncomfortable than ever before. “Four.”

“ _Four!”_ Jean exclaimed, and Richard looked very unhappy.

“Just who do you think you are, Mr. Potter?”

“Dad-”

“My daughter will not be involved with any such nonsense. I forbid it.”

“Dad!” Hermione shouted. “It's not your decision to make. I haven't committed to anything yet, and I'd like to have a talk with Minerva and the others, to ask for advice.”

“Minerva? Surely,you cannot mean the deputy Headmistress? She's old enough to be his grandmother!” Jean said, and stared at Hermione.

“You know we age a little differently than regular people, Mrs. Granger,” Harry said, trying to keep things calm. “We live much longer, so it's not quite as big of a factor.”

Hermione's parents were silent for a little while. “Are you sure about this, sweetheart? Jean asked. “Now I feel as if we shoehorned you into something, that you might not have gotten involved with, otherwise.”

Hermione took a deep breath, which she released slowly. “I'm not sure of anything. We'll see.”

000000

“So, that was... interesting,” Harry said to Hermione, as the pair walked through the cave outside of Gryffindor's stronghold. It was afternoon, and everyone should be there by now, for a little party.

“They just need a little time to get used to the idea of what might happen, Harry. They like you, so I wouldn't worry too much.”

Harry grinned at Hermione. “I'm just happy he doesn't own a weapon. He'd probably do his best impression of King Triton.”

Hermione laughed out loud at that. She loved The Little Mermaid. It was one of Disney's finest. Didn't beat Lion King, though. “I love that film.”

“Meh,” Harry said. “I'm more of an Aladdin fan, myself.”

“Because of the flying carpet?” Hermione asked with a raised eyebrow.

“It flies, Hermione!” Harry exclaimed. “It flies!”

“What flies?”

Harry and Hermione stopped to allow Tonks, and her mother to catch up to them.

“Well?” Tonks urged.

“The carpet from Aladdin,” Hermione supplied with a sigh.

“Oh, that one's fantastic!” Tonks said, and grinned at Harry. “Best character in the film.”

“I wonder if Bella and Fleur would be willing to let me fly them to Hamunaptra on a magic carpet?” Harry wondered, while rubbing his chin.

“What about me?” Tonks asked with a cute pout.

Harry winked at her, and placed an arm around her shoulders. “You're the same adrenaline junkie as me, Nym. I just assumed you'd be along for the ride,” he said, and started humming _Magic Carpet Ride_ by Steppenwolf, much to Tonks's delight.

“Yes! Take it away, Wonder Boy!” she yelled, and Harry began singing in a horribly off key voice. Tonks sang along with him, in a tone that was even further off. In fact, they sounded like a couple of drunkards, as they slowly marched towards the door, Harry's arm still across her shoulders.

“Some people simply should not be allowed to sing,” Narcissa said when she arrived with Bellatrix at her side. “Seems my niece did not inherit your talents, Andie,” the youngest Black sister remarked, as she watched the pair go.

“Well, she's still more proficient than Bella,” Andie said, to which her oldest sister simply nodded. No use getting angry over a well, and repeatedly established fact.

By then, the singing pair had run out of lyrics they knew in the song, and had somehow morphed into singing the _Sultans of Swing_ by Dire Straits. Which eventually became a mash of that song, _Radar Love_ by Golden Earring, and the occasional line from _Baba O'Riley_ by The Who.

“ _C'est trop horrible!”_ Fleur had arrived, as well. “ _Merde! S 'il vous plaît, faites-les arrêter!_”

“I know, Fleur, it's genuinely horrific. I'll make them stop,” Andie said, and waved her wand, drenching Harry, and her daughter in water.

“Hey!” Harry shouted indignantly at her.

“Yeah! You just wait until we sing for you lot again!” Tonks growled, her hair turning red.

“We should be so lucky!” Bella shouted right back. “Can't wait!”

000000

Harry stood in front of the fireplace with a full belly. He had just finished bidding everyone good bye, and Minerva had returned back to Hogwarts. She had taken a promise from him that he'd be careful, and that he would be by Hogwarts, as soon as he returned. There was something she wanted to discuss with him.

Nym, Andie and Narcissa were with Bellatrix in her room, and Hermione was... Well, being Hermione.

“Just be careful, Harry. I've been reading about some of the ruins of Egypt, and how horrible some of them are. You need to avoid-

Harry gathered her in a hug. “Hermione, stop. Fleur knows what she's doing, and I have Nym, and Bella with me. We'll be fine.”

“So, Fleur, everything's ready?” he asked the French woman, who had just entered the room.

“ _Oui,_ Harry. Mr. LeChuck will be waiting for us in his office. There's a direct link from the Director's office to the Head office of all the other Gringotts branches, around the world.”

“Well, that's neat.”

Harry grabbed his Bag, and put it on his shoulder, and went into the hall. As soon as he did, Hedwig came racing from her perch, and landed on his other shoulder. Harry eyed her from the corner of his eye, and the owl leaned forward, stared right at him, digging her talons into his shoulder.

Hedwig knew her Harry was smart, but sometimes, he was such a foolish human. Did he honestly think she would not go with them? Who was going to keep him safe? Those three females were certainly capable, and the younger two looked like they would produce strong, healthy young, but she had better be there, to maintain control of the situation.

And, of course, he always gave her a piece of his bacon. The others, especially the bushy haired one, might get it into their heads that bacon was unhealthy for her, and not give her any. What an utterly unthinkable ridiculousness! No, she would simply have to go with them, and make certain they returned safely.

“Well, I guess she's coming with us,” Harry said with a grin.

Bella grinned at Hedwig, who puffed her chest, as she was wont to do, whenever someone praised her,or she had her way.

“Did you expect anything else, Harry?” Bella asked, and rubbed the owl's head affectionately.

“No, not really,” Harry replied with a shrug.

“Face it, Harry,” Nym said, as she joined them in the foyer. “You're completely whipped.”

“She's the boss, _non_?” Fleur stated unnecessarily, and winked at the bird.

If Hedwig could've snorted, she would have. Why did these foolish humans, feel the need to state the obvious?

000000

Harry, and his party met Guybrush and Threepwood at the side entrance of Gringotts, and the pair of them took them up two stories, or so, where they met a woman, dressed in a very professional pants suit. The two tiny goblins bid them farewell, and left them with the woman. She had long, red hair, and a healthy tan, and her somewhat heavy lidded eyes projected intelligence.

“Good evening, everyone. My name's Elaine Marley, and I am Mr. LeChuck's assistant. I also handle most business with the Muggle banking, in the UK.”

She turned her gaze onto Harry, who had a slight grin on his face.

“Muggle raised?” she asked.

“Yeah?” Harry replied.

She marched right up to him, and glared a hole into his eyes. “Make one joke about a certain Jamaican musician, and I'll castrate you.”

“Right,” Harry said, scared to death. Elaine turned on her heal, and strode along the deserted hallway, without further comment.

“Someone's got her knickers in a twist,” Tonks said with a grin. “That joke would have been daft, Harry!”

They rushed to follow her, and rounded a corner, and at the end were a pair of gold lined doors, and at each side, stood a goblin, armed with a spear. As they got near, Elaine addressed the pair.

“Evening, Wally, Murray. The guests have arrived.”

Murray opened the door, and the group entered a very large, lavish office. The doors closed slowly, with a thump. As soon as they had, Tonks elbowed Harry in the ribs, and leaned up to his ear.

“That goblin, Wally. Was his beard glued to his ear hair?”

Harry couldn't hold back a laugh. “You noticed that, did you?”

Tonks' hair cycled through a few pleasant colours, as she held back a bark of laughter. “Yeah! And the other one was so skinny, I thought his head was nothing but the skull!”

“I know! Somehow, the goblins I've been meeting lately are all really weird,” Harry agreed.

Fleur was becoming increasingly annoyed with her two friends. They were about to meet LeChuck, the most powerful individual of the goblin nation in Britain, and they kept acting like a pair of unruly children.

“ _Tais-toi, vous deux_ , shut up!” she hissed at them, when the door to a side chamber opened, and out walked the largest goblin Harry had seen. He had to be at least five four! He approached the group, and stood in front of Harry, eyeing him up and down. Eventually, his face split in a grin, and he reached out his hand, which Harry clasped without hesitation.

“We finally meet, boy! My friend Griphook has told me much of you, and mentioned you were a bit impressive. I am pleased to see he's not wrong.”

Harry wasn't sure how to respond to that, so he simply smiled. “Yeah, well, thanks, I suppose.”

Director LeChuck let out a roar of laughter, and let go of Harry's hand. “Well, onto business. I understand you need to travel to Hamunaptra.”

“Yes, we do. It is extremely urgent, Director,” Fleur said.

LeChuck's demeanour had turned very serious. “Yes, of course. The Horcruxes. Now, under normal conditions, we would never allow anyone, except highly trained curse breakers, or our best warriors entry to such a dangerous ruin, but as it is, I think we must make an exception.”

Harry inclined his head. “Thank you, Mr. LeChuck.”

The large goblin waved his hand in dismissal. “It's as much in my people's interest, as it is yours, to be rid of that thing that calls itself Voldemort.” He turned to Fleur. “You have everything?”

“ _Oui_ , I have brought everything I think we'll need.“

“Very well. There's no time to waste, and the Floo is open on the other side.” LeChuck motioned them to the fireplace, and threw in a large handful of powder, and a large fire erupted in the firebox.

“I look forward to speaking with you on your notes, Mr. Potter, when you return. I've looked them over carefully, and I must say I very much approve.”

Harry smiled at the goblin. “Thank you. I have no idea how long we'll be gone, so if you have anything you'd like to talk about, please contact Narcissa. She has my complete trust, and will act in my stead.”

“A wise choice, Mr. Potter. Now, off you go,” he finished, and the group, as one, stepped through.

000000

The five of them exited the Floo in Egypt, with varying degrees of success. Fleur, as usual, quit the flames, looking perfect, while Bellatrix stumbled almost imperceptibly. The other two, however, made a mess of it, as you would expect.

It began brilliantly, and Harry almost achieved a major victory, in his battle against _Magitravellicus Terribilus._ You see, he'd managed to quit the Floo on his feet, for the first time in his life. Until the level four hurricane, known as Nymphadora, came thundering in, behind him.

She crashed into Harry, who stumbled, and sent Hedwig scrambling, Harry somehow managed to turn as he fell, and grab Nym, then pull her to him before landing on the hard marble floor. She landed with her head in the crook of his neck, and she felt his intoxicating scent fill her nostrils. Then she felt his body vibrating, as he began to laugh, and she joined him. It was all just so silly.

When they'd stopped laughing, she raised herself on her arms, and stared into his emerald eyes, that were shining brightly with mirth. She was almost completely mesmerised by the feeling they projected. Protective, easygoing, slightly mischievous. And the loving, caring nature she knew was there, and it called to her. Her heart was hammering in her chest, and she hoped he couldn't feel it, but how couldn't he? She felt as if it was trying to break free from her chest. She wanted to kiss him, she realized. Badly.

At the same time, Harry was having similar problems. Nym was lying atop of him, and by all the gods of Egypt, it felt wonderful. It felt right Then again, he'd always had a huge crush on her, and had sometimes felt it wasn't one-sided, actually. And then he noticed her eyes change colour, until they mirrored his own.

He had to admit, it was a good colour for her, and fit her blue and silver hair, which was done in a punkish style bob, which again, fit the face shape she'd chosen that day. Harry realized they had to get up quickly, because otherwise, he felt there was real chance they might do something inappropriate, right there on the floor.

“Hey, you two!” Bella said, and nudged them with her foot. “Get up. People are staring.”

That broke the pair out of their reverie, and they scrambled to their feet, awfully embarrassed. Harry looked around, and found the room they were in was almost exactly the same as the one before, except the decorations, which were a collection of all kinds of Egyptian artefacts, and artworks.

The Director had not even bothered to rise from his chair, and his guards were glaring at the wizards, with almost open hostility. They opened the doors, and grunted at the guests, clearly telling them to shove off. Harry looked at the Director again, who was no longer paying them any heed, and was reading some parchment.

“I thank you for your hospitality, goblin. I'll be sure to mention it to LeChuck when we return,” Bellatrix said with a sneer, and did her best impression of a pureblood princess.

Fleur felt quite miffed at the reception, even if she knew goblins were usually like that. In fact, she felt certain the goblins of Gringotts had only been so nice, because of Harry's presence, since they obviously held a deep respect for him. But was it too much to ask for a little professional courtesy?

They made their way through the empty bank, only noting a guard or two. Then they quit the building, and were met with very warm air, despite it being early evening. Harry looked about, thankful for the view the steps of Gringotts afforded him. He instantly realized they were in the Egyptian equivalent of Diagon Alley, but unlike the Alley, with it's tall buildings and narrow streets, this place was much more open, and the buildings were much smaller.

Fleur led them down the stairs, and into the street, and Harry let a bit of his senses loose, to fully experience this place. Soon, though, he reined them in again, so that he could focus on what his Veela friend was saying.

“There's a small hotel at the outskirts of _Mukhfi_ district, where we are now, that I like it a lot. Salma and Karim, the couple who run it are quite nice, and many of Gringotts employees use it, whenever they are in Egypt. I suggest we stay the night there, and head out in the morning.”

“Well,” Harry began with a flourish. “Our destiny is in your hands, Fleur. Lead on!”

Bella and Fleur rolled their eyes, but Nym snickered, and fist bumped her friend behind their backs. The group walked along the streets at a moderate pace, which allowed them to fully take in everything. It was an interesting place, Harry thought, and he hoped they could explore it, at least a little, before they left in the morning.

After about half an hour, they reached the hotel, and Harry discovered, the owners were indeed very nice. They invited them to a small backyard, and Salma brought them a drink, something called _Qasab_ , a beverage made from sugar canes. Harry found it delicious and refreshing.

Then, since it was still rather early, he felt like going out to explore. None of his companions were up for it, however, so he went alone. Except for Hedwig, who obviously went with him. There might be bacon.

Harry thought it was a nice place. In fact, he might even prefer _Mukhfi_ district to Diagon Alley. It was much more open, there was more space, and the whole place was a lot less crowded. There were stalls all over the place, and tents, where people peddled their wares. It was a proper market.

He felt an itch on his forehead, and rubbed his cap up and down a couple of times, and realized the cap would be much too warm, as would his shirt and cargo pants. And he needed new boots, too. Cursing himself for not thinking of it before he left Britain, he decided to look around for a clothes store, and as luck would have it, he found one, almost immediately.

He entered the store, and found it was empty, and he wasn't surprised. It had to be nearing closing. There was a bell on the counter, and at the tone, a man came rushing from the back. As soon he saw Harry, he smiled a massive fake smile, and Harry had to wonder if he was related to the owner of Quality Quidditch Products.

“Ah! A customer! What can I do for you, sir?”

“Well, I need a few things...”

000000

Harry was making his way along a rather busy street, gnawing on an apple he'd bought earlier, when he saw someone call out, and wave to him. A young man, a boy, really came jogging towards him, and grabbed his hand, dragging him towards a tent by a wall, in an alleyway.

Harry, who didn't feel any kind of malice from the boy, allowed himself to be pulled along, and when the boy pulled the flap aside, Harry entered after a moment's hesitation. The air was hot inside the tent, and the smell of burning incense was strong, and heady. A sickly old man was sitting on a cushion opposite the opening. He had on a turban, and his eyes were white. He was clearly blind.

“Sorry, I,” Harry began. “A boy dragged me in here, sir. Are you alright? Is there something I can help you with? If you're hungry, I have plenty of gold to give you...”

The man lifted a hand, and motioned for Harry to sit down on a cushion. “Please, sit,” the man said in a lightly accented English, but it sounded... Harry had spoken with many people from both India and Pakistan, in shops and such, and the man was likely Indian, but he didn't sound like them.

He sounded upper class, posh almost, as if he'd spent most of his life around people like Malfoy. Or maybe, he'd just listened to a lot of old BBC news broadcasts, from back when they spoke like the Queen. At any rate, it was rather strange. Harry did indeed sit down, as he was interested to learn where this was going.

“What do you want with me?” Harry asked, when the man had been silently “staring” at him for a while with those white, unseeing eyes.

“You have a destiny about you, young man,” the old man said. “A destiny larger than you can imagine.”

“You don't say,” Harry said in a dry voice.

“Your destiny is tied to that of many others, and for them to survive, you must succeed in your battle against the Darkness.”

“Mmhm. Right. Thanks for that,” Harry said and got to his feet. “If that's all...”

“I can see the red strings of fate, tied between you, and the Dark women, as well as the Educator, and the Changing One, and the Alluring One. The Bookish One is uncertain, and there is little hope of it ever coming to fruition, as things are. The Owl remains hidden, still. You must find her, else all is lost.”

Harry stared at the old man. What was he on about? Well, those women the old man had mentioned were probably Bella and her sisters, Minerva, Nym, and Fleur. The Bookish One had to be Hermione but who was that Owl?”

Shaking his head, Harry left the tent. Crazy old man. He'd gone a few steps, when he turned around, to look back at the tent, only to find it was gone, without a trace. Now, that was just creepy. Hedwig gave a tired hoot, and Harry turned around again, and decided to return to the hotel to get some sleep.

000000

Fleur was sitting out on the balcony of her room, when she noticed Harry come walking down the street, in new clothes. A good idea. The outfit he had been wearing would have been much too hot for the desert. Especially that wool cap, which he had replaced with a hat. As he came up to the house, she rose from her chair, and called to him.

“Harry! Could you come join me in my room, please? There are some things I'd like to talk about!”

Harry smiled at her, and it made her heart flutter. “Yes, of course. Let me put this away, and I'll be right there.”

A few minutes later, there was a knock on her door, and Harry came in, wearing a long sleeve khaki shirt, and a pair of slightly darker pants. The shirt was rather tight fitting, and he'd rolled up the sleeves, and left the top three buttons loose, which revealed part of his slightly hairy chest. A shudder of desire went through Fleur as _**S**_ _ **he**_ took in his appearance, and Fleur had to wonder if he was doing this on purpose.

Harry had to fight himself, not to stare at Fleur, who was wearing a variant of the _Kaftan_ he'd seen women wear in town. Hers was white, and open on her shoulders, and the golden embroidery curved down from her shoulders, and did some very interesting things to her cleavage. Harry most certainly _did not_ steal a glance at that, when Fleur wasn't looking. No, he definitely did not do that. Much. Ok, a little bit. Or a lot.

“Are you cold, Fleur? You're not getting sick, are you?” Harry barely managed to say, and put a hand on her shoulder.

“Ah. _Non_ , Harry. I'm fine,” Fleur replied, and managed to control _**Her**_ **,** but just barely. By the goddess, his touch was intoxicating. The merest touch from him lit her on fire!

Harry was relieved. “That's good. You can get sick when we return. We can't do without our curse breaker, now can we?” Harry said with a teasing glint in his eye.

Fleur slapped him on the chest, and laughed. “Behave, you ruffian,” she said. and turned to gaze into the sky.

She liked this new Harry. And not a little bit, either. He was funny, and witty, and simply a joy to be around. The old Harry had been much too serious, bogged down by his destiny. She suspected the Black sisters had something to do with that. He finally had someone to share his burdens with.

As much as she liked, and respected Hermione, Fleur felt her bushy haired friend would likely not have been able to take his mind of things, or raise his spirits, the way Bellatrix seemed to be able to. Not to mention Nymphadora, who was simply put _fun_. And, if that display at the bank earlier was any indication, she was very rapidly falling under his spell.

No, that wasn't it. Rather, Tonks was merely allowing the feelings that had already been there to break free, and Harry was extremely receptive. It was clear to Fleur there had already been something between them. Harry was indeed close to grasping the Chameleon, and she hoped it would happen soon. His heart would help Tonks heal, as it helped the Black sisters.

Thinking on what Narcissa had said, Fleur had to wonder if Harry had, in fact found the Owl. She wasn't sure it had been right the right thing to do, when Narcissa had practically thrown Hermione into confronting her feelings for Harry. Fleur knew Harry and Hermione loved one another, but she just couldn't see Hermione in a relationship such as the one Harry was in. No, it was highly unlikely.

And that left herself. And _**Her**_ , of course. Aside from Bill not being able to withstand her Allure, the greatest obstacle she had faced in their relationship, was the fact that, after a little while _**She**_ lost interest in him.

“Fleur, are you certain you're alright? You seem a little troubled,” Harry remarked, as he came up beside her to gaze into the sky.

Fleur took a deep breath. “Venus and Chamaeleon shine brightly, tonight.”

Harry nodded. “They do.”

Fleur eyed Harry from the corner of her eye, before she continued. “My mother was the one who got me interested in charms and curses when I was little. She's an expert, and she's often called on to help by the French wizarding government, when things are very delicate or tricky.”

“Yeah, I remember. You told me once.”

“Well, anyway, when I told her I'd been granted an internship with Gringotts Britain, she was so proud. That Gringotts branch has the greatest program available to any prospective curse breaker. But that wasn't the only thing I was excited about. I could come to England, and improve my English, which was rather bad, as you may recall.”

Harry shook his head. “No, it wasn't that bad. It was perfectly fine, just heavily accented.”

Fleur smiled at him. “You're being kind, Harry. You know it was horrible. I also told _Maman_ there was a man there I thought was interesting, and I knew he was resistant my Allure. _Maman_ was so glad for me. You see Harry, many Veela never find a life long mate. Many of them end up simply sleeping around for a while, due to of a sense of duty. Which is where this idea of us being promiscuous comes from.”

“A sense of duty?” Harry asked incredulously. Then a look of understanding dawned on him. “They feel they must try and do their bit to maintain your race.”

Fleur looked at him with a sad smile. “Yes. We, as a race, have done so for many centuries. It's one of the reasons why men who are resistant to the Allure are so coveted. And then there's the fertility problem.”

“Right.”

“Well, I didn't tell _Maman_ who the man was, before I left for Britain, but I know now that we had a different man in mind. I remember the first time I brought William to _Maison Delacour._ I was happy, and my parents saw that, and welcomed him with open arms. We had a great evening, the four of us. William had to go back, but I had decided I was going to take a few days off and stay with my parents, but later that evening, _Maman_ and I had a monstrous row, after William left.”

“That can't have been easy. I know you're close with your parents, Fleur,” Harry said, and grabbed her hand.

The Veela squeezed Harry's hand, grateful for his presence. “It was horrible. _Maman_ felt I was making a mistake, that this relationship would never last. I, in turn was so blinded with my own happiness, that I couldn't see she was just trying to protect me. I accused her of being jealous, because I had found my mate so young, when she'd been older than me when she met _Papa.”_

“That can't have sat well with your mother.”

“I didn't give her a chance to reply. I stormed through the Floo, and didn't go home for a long time, and it hurt me so. But her words stuck with me. Then, after a while, I thought I had noticed Williams' eyes cloud over occasionally, when we were together. That's when our problems began, I think. Subconsciously, I began reining in my Allure more, and more, until _**She**_ lost interest in him.”

“ _ **She**_?” Harry asked, in confusion.

“The Veela in me, Harry. While that part of me isn't exactly separate from me, I can still clearly tell where the feelings are coming from. For example, when I lose control, when I am about to morph, I sense a different sort of feeling in my chest.”

“Right. I can relate to that, to an extent. After I took the potion, I sometimes feel things no human should feel. I have no trouble ignoring it, but when I see something that might be called prey, I get a little itch in my body. A need to chase it down.”

Fleur nodded. “I was becoming miserable, and it's exhausting to constantly rein _**Her**_ in, Harry. I would lash out at William for the smallest things, things any normal person would simply ignore. And then you returned, and _**She**_ began reacting to you with such intensity.”

“Me?” Harry asked.

“Yes, you, Harry. The night after the confrontation with Riddle, I went home, and I had a conversation with _Maman,_ telling her about the reaction to you, and that I was planning on ending the relationship with William.”

“I'm so-” Harry began.

Fleur shot him a fierce look, and placed her fingertips on his mouth. “ _Non! Arretez!_ Do not say you're sorry. Not everything that goes wrong in the universe is your fault. If anyone is at fault it's me, for not listening to _Maman_. I realized when I was talking with her that night, after Hogsmeade, that she had always hoped, when I left for Britain, that I had set my sights on you. And now I have.”

“Fleur-”

“ _ **She**_ is not the only one who's reacting to you, Harry. Yes, _**She**_ recognizes you as everything a Veela should look for; strong, powerful, able to produce strong and healthy children. But what I see, is a good, kind and honest man, who's courageous and will go to the ends of the earth for those he loves.”

By then, Fleur had turned fully toward Harry, and placed her hands on his chest. “He saved my sister's life, and became my friend when I needed one. And best of all, the Allure doesn't bother him even a little. I've been fully throwing it at him, this whole time, and there's no sign he can even feel it. And now, I want more. I _need_ more!”

And with that, she snaked her arms around Harry's neck, and kissed him. Lightly at first, then it became more desperate, when _**She**_ began egging her on. Fleur was fighting against her Veela instincts with all she had. She was not planning on doing anything more than kiss him, but it was hard!

And it became harder still, when Harry began reciprocating, and fiercely so. He grabbed her hips, and pulled her tight up against his body, and she moaned at the strength she could feel in him. A series of very naughty images flashed through her mind, and she honestly couldn't wait to try some of them out, to finally let _**Her**_ come out to play. Most men would break like a twig, wouldn't last, but Harry was strong, and durable. He could take it. He could withstand her passion!

After a few minutes of passionate kissing, she broke free from him, took his hand, leading him to the bed. He laid down on it, and she beside him, and rested her head on his chest. Harry put his arm around her, and she relaxed against him, promptly falling asleep.

000000

Harry looked himself in the mirror critically, wondering just how he hadn't seen it, when he'd been buying the clothes the night before. Khaki pants, and shirt, brown leather belt, and boots... And a fedora. Letting out a snort, he put on the dark brown leather jacket, very thankful for the cooling runes that had been carved into the leather of the inside pocket of the jacket, on the soles of the shoes, and on the ribbon on the fedora. Perhaps Nym hadn't even seen those films. Yeah, right.

He quit the room, and when he was closing the door, Bellatrix came out of the room opposite, looking gorgeous in her armour. She eyed him up and down, and raised an inquisitive eyebrow. Harry shrugged, leaned over, and kissed her.

“So, I hear you and Fleur had a conversation, last night.”

“We did. It was wonderful.”

“Of course it was wonderful. She's a Veela. No chance of it being anything less,” Bella said with a lascivious grin.

“What? No! That didn't happen!” Harry protested. “We had a kiss, and then we went to sleep.”

“Of course,” Bella said with a wink. “Let's go down. The others are waiting for us.”

The pair made their way to the foyer, where Fleur, and Tonks were waiting for them, and Harry had to stop to admire the pair of them. They were wearing the same outfit as Bella, and it looked like Narcissa had indeed outdone herself. They looked amazing. And, naturally, as soon as the Metamorph saw Harry, she stared at him wide eyed, before she threw a shit-eating grin his way.

“Oi! Indy! You're late! We've been waiting for half an hour!” Tonks exclaimed, and laughed uproariously at Harry's embarrassment.

“I didn't notice, until this morning.”

Tonks came over, and slapped him on the shoulder. “Don't worry, Harry. You're no Harrison Ford, but it suits you. But, when we go into the ruin, I would very much like it, if you'd change into the armour aunt Cissy got you in Knockturn Alley.”

Harry stared at Nym incredulously. “But it makes me look like such a tool! Why do you think it took me such a long time, to get down here? I tried it on, but I just had to take it off again.”

Bella glared at him. “Don't argue, Harry Potter,” she said. “I promised my sisters I'd keep you safe, and making you wear that thing is a part of that promise.”

Knowing it was useless to argue, Harry told them he would wear it, but only once they'd reached Hamunaptra. They foursome left the building, and as soon as Harry was outside, Hedwig came swooping in, and landed on his shoulder with a bark.

“Good morning, girl. Did you have a fruitful hunt this morning?”

Hedwig hooted affirmatively, but did not nip his earlobe like she would have, usually. She was in a foul mood. Why, you may ask? Well, she wouldn't have had to go hunt for some foolish little mice, if the people in this place ate proper food. (Read: Bacon). Barbarians.

The group then marched towards Gringotts, where they would Floo to Thebes. They arrived at the bank, just slightly late, and the goblins were less than impressed. At least, that's what Harry thought, but he simply could not be certain, because they didn't say anything. They opened the Floo, and Hedwig moved from Harry's shoulder to Fleur's. The goblins then shooed the group through with little regard.

Harry, and the others arrived on the other side of the Floo, in a tiny building that had nothing inside of it, except the Floo. Once Harry and Nym had picked themselves up of the floor, the group quit the building, and had the chance to look around.

Harry was in awe. They were standing in front of a rather large building, made of stone. Sandstone, most likely, given the shade of it. It had a ground level, and two upper levels, and two ramps leading up to them. He turned around, and there were just so _many_ impressive buildings, or ruins around there.

“The Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, built in 1450 B.C. As you can see, it's being reconstructed,” Fleur informed them. “And across the river, you can see Luxor, and Karnak,” she continued, and pointed to the east.

Harry followed her finger, and saw even more ruins over there, massive stone pillars, and other, equally impressive things. He then promised himself he'd go back there sometime. Oh, and Giza. He had to go to Giza.

“Fleur, will you take me sometime to see the great Pyramids?” he asked, and kept looking around.

Fleur laughed happily at his sense of wonder, which she found absolutely adorable. “Of course, _mon amour._ Once this is over, we'll come back to Egypt, and explore as we like.”

“Me too!” Tonks exclaimed, and sent Harry her best puppy dog eyes, and Harry could only laugh and nod. “Yay!” she yelled, and ran to Harry, and jumped onto his back, which caused Hedwig to dart off her master's shoulder, barking angrily at the Metamorph. Harry grabbed Nym's thighs, and carried her around for a bit, before Bella stopped them.

“Alright, that's enough, you two! We have things to do.”

Harry carefully dropped Nym, and turned suitably serious. “Right. So, where is this ruin, then?”

“It's to the west, in the desert,” Fleur said. “Very secluded.”

“How are we getting there?” Bella asked.

“Camels, obviously,” Nym said, her face completely serious. Bella sent her niece a horrified look, while Fleur hid her amusement, by turning away.

Harry burst out laughing. “You should see the look on your face! It's hilarious!”

“Can we focus, people? This is serious!” Bella was becoming increasingly annoyed. What had gotten into her companions?

“Relax, Bella,” Harry said, and walked over to her, and interlaced his fingers with hers, brought up her hand, and kissed it. “We're just having a bit of a laugh.”

“I'll side along you three there,” Fleur told the rest of the group. She grabbed Harry's arm, and just like that, they were whisked away. They appeared right next to a large... hole. There was an intricate network of scaffolding that lined the sides, and it led to the bottom. The small entrance was lit by a pair of torches

“That's it?” Harry asked. This felt a little underwhelming to be honest.

“Not all ruins in Egypt have elaborate arches, or pillars around the entrance, Harry,” Fleur said. “Some of them are quite easy to miss, actually. Though, I'm fairly certain there's a larger entrance, somewhere close by. Now go down there, and change into your armour. I'll wait for a few minutes.” she finished, and her tone of voice brooked no argument. Then she disappeared.

Harry sighed. Well, he'd best get to it, then. He quickly descended the ramps, and once he was all the way down, he proceeded with removing some of the armour pieces from his Bag, before he stripped. First, he put on a shirt and pants, in the same dark green colour his girls wore. This followed with laced up, knee high boots, made of soft, brown leather.

Then he clasped on the hard leather shin guards, the top of which reached up to cover his kneecaps. He noted the markings on them were identical to the ones on his arm braces. Once that was done, he put on a long, sleeveless chain mail shirt, that was made from some kind of extremely lightweight metal. The rings were so finely woven, it almost felt like the finest fabric.

Again, he reached into the Bag, and out came a brown, leather cuirass, that would have been right at home in ancient Greece. On the front, a golden phoenix had been worked into the leather. Harry put on the cuirass, and moved his arms about, and found it did not constrict his movements at all. But, he wasn't done.

Harry reached into the Bag one final time, and out came four items. His arm braces, which he put on, a belt that reminded him a little bit of the kind boxing champions would wear, but it was much smaller, and it had metal tipped leather strips hanging from it in the front and back. The metal disc in the front of the belt was engraved with the image of an owl, and Harry recognised her as Hedwig. Narcissa had obviously procured this armour after they'd gone to Hogwarts.

And lastly, there was a hooded cape, done in the same dark green as the shirt and pants. He thought about leaving it off, but decided that he would put the whole damn thing on. Harry put it on, and fastened the clasps on the front of his shoulders. Then he put on his sword. This time, however, he wore it at the hip, instead of on his back, since the cape was in the way.

“Oi! Hero! You done!?” Nym called down to him.

“Yeah! I'm done!” he said, and put away his other clothes, closed the Bag, and put to the side, and waited for the laughs and jokes. The three women made their way down into the hole, and when they reached the bottom, they stopped in their tracks, and stared.

Harry, misunderstanding their reactions, became embarrassed. “See, I look like an idiot.”

Nothing could be further from the truth. Now, Harry looked fine in his regular clothes, that shirt and cargo pants. There was a kind of rugged, everyman quality to it. Now, however, dressed in his armour, and bathed in the bronze light of the torches, he looked like a Greek god. If Achilles had indeed ever walked the earth, this is what he would have looked like.

“Harry, you look magnificent,” Bella said, and smiled at him.

“You think so?”

“ _Magnifique.”_ Fleur agreed.

“Ya look fit, boyo,” Tonks said, and grinned at him.

Harry turned toward the entrance, eyes intent. “Wands out, you reckon?”

“ _Oui,”_ Fleur agreed, and stepped up beside Harry. “The top level has been made safe, after that, it becomes interesting, so I suggest we set up camp up here. We can always Apparate back.”

“Alright.” Harry squared his shoulders, and unsheathed his wand from the arm brace, and in they went.

000000

The group walked on in silence, the only sound that could be heard was the echo of their footfalls. Fleur led the group. She was holding a device, not dissimilar to the one Bill had used to open the wards around the Snatcher's HQ. This one was supposed to detect any magical energies focused on small areas, to help spot any traps. It wasn't perfect, though.

“Stop,” Fleur said, and stared at the device, which was making a strange noise. “There's something on the floor, a couple of yards ahead of us.”

She handed Harry the device, and began moving her wand in very complex motions, muttering words in what Harry assumed was ancient Egyptian. Then there was a tiny flash, and a grating noise from below the floor.

“Acid bomb,” Fleur said. “Well, it's not exactly a bomb, it's more of a spray that ejects from between the tiles on the floor.”

“Let me guess,” Nym said. “It melts the flesh off our bones?”

“Something like that.”

And on they went, for a couple of hours, by which time, they found a room with wall full of hieroglyphs. After making certain the room was safe, Fleur led the others into the room, and began deciphering the images on the wall, which turned out to be an index of sorts.

Of course, Hamunaptra wasn't exactly a _city._ It was a massive complex of tombs, where various people of import had been laid to rest. The wall told Fleur how the place came to be, and they learned it was entirely 'inhabited' by magicals.

Then came the moment they'd been waiting for. “Here!” Fleur exclaimed. “There was a man, Ma'nakhtuf, who had been ordered to find the key to eternal life, by the pharaoh of the time, Akhenaten.”

“Alright. Does it say why?” Harry asked.

Fleur kept reading. “Let's see here. He apparently was trying to turn Egypt away from polytheism, and the people hated him for it. Despite his dynasty being one of the most prosperous in Egyptian history. He knew he would never succeed in one lifetime, so he needed more time.”

“Poly-what?” Bella asked, and Harry, and Nym nodded. They had no idea what the word meant.

“Worshipping more than one god,” Fleur informed them, and studied the wall some more.

“Oh, here we are. It seems he may have been successful, but when the high priests learned what the horrific ritual entailed, they killed the researcher, and hid the body on the seventh, and lowest level of Hamunaptra.”

“Of course they did,” Harry groaned, and Hedwig gave a low hoot that seemed to say _I have a bad feeling about this_. Harry couldn't help but agree.

“And there's a warning; a death worse than any mortal can possibly imagine, awaits all who venture into that part of the complex,” Fleur finished, and stepped away from the wall, her face etched in worry.

“Well, I think we all expected that,” Bellatrix said, and tugged on her ponytail.

“Alright, let's go, then,” Harry said, and led them out of the room, and further into the ruin.

000000

It was the third day, since they had entered the City of the Dead. It was slow going, despite the fact that they did not deviate from the main hallway. The deeper they went, the traps became more and more elaborate. The device was barely working any more, which forced Fleur to rely more and more on her instincts, and experience, to tell her where the traps would be.

Then, they finally came upon the stairs that would lead them to the lowest level. Harry was relieved. They were almost done. One more level, and they'd find out if he could be cured. Bella took his hand, and squeezed it tightly.

“Should we go back and tackle this tomorrow, or do we go?” Harry asked. He wasn't tired, but Fleur was the one doing most of the work.

“ _Non_ , Harry. I want this over with.” She shuddered. “I hate this place.”

The others couldn't help, but feel the same. The place felt sick. Evil. As they went further, the worse it felt, and it had become oppressive.

“Are you sure? You've been working pretty hard today, Fleur.”

The Veela smiled at him, and kissed him on the cheek. “ _Oui, mon amour._ I want to go home, to my bed, and you're coming with me.” As usual, Harry blushed, but he nodded at Fleur.

“Well, well. Aren't you lucky!” Bella quipped, and gave her niece a wink.

Nym's hair changed colours a few times, before settling on black. Oddly fitting, given their present location. “Stuff it, Bellatrix.”

Fleur examined the area around the entrance to the seventh level carefully, and stepped through, followed by the others. They had gone down perhaps ten steps, when Nym stepped on something, and a grating noise followed. Faster than he'd ever moved, Harry dashed to the side, and pulled her to him, but nothing happened at first. Then a massive stone slab slid rapidly onto the first step with a bang, and closed the doorway.

That wasn't the worst of it, however. As soon as the slab hit the stair, Harry could hear a series of noises echo through the complex, as well as grating noises, as if a bunh of doors had opened. It only lasted for a few seconds, but when the echo of the last one faded, their wands died, leaving them in complete darkness.

“Shit,” Nym said.

“Indeed. Shit,” Bella followed up.

“Can any of you feel your magic?” Harry asked, and let go of Nym. “ _Lumos!_ ” Nothing. He tried igniting a fireball in his palms, still nothing.

“I think we're trapped in a magic negation field,” Fleur said, annoyed. “The device should have picked up on it. _Morceau de poubelle!_ Fucking trash!” she snarled, and threw the thing away. Fleur almost never cursed, but Harry felt it was more than fitting for the occasion.

“Ok. No need to panic, we've brought a pair of torches, after all,” Harry said in a calm voice.

“And how are you going to light them, then?” Bella asked, frustrated.

“Damn it...” Harry mumbled.

“Well, that's just brilliant, isn't it!” Nym growled, and was clearly about to panic.

“Well, there's nothing for it. We have to go on down. How likely do you think we'll find more traps here, Fleur?”

“Hard to say, Harry. At least, they won't be magical. We might be able to navigate around them. Some we might have to activate, to get past them.”

Harry nodded, but realized none of them would see it. He took of his cape, put it in the Bag, and handed it to Fleur. “Look, I can see perfectly fine in the dark, so you'll have to follow me. Fleur, you're behind me, keep your hand on my back. Bella, you're next and Nym, you bring up the rear. Remember, keep a hand on the back of the person in front of you!”

And so, the party crept onwards in the darkness. Harry's heart felt heavy. The lives of those women, all of whom he cared for more, than he did his own life, were in his hands. There was no room for error. He had expanded his senses as much as he could, but there was nothing living in there. Not even Scarabs, and they'd been everywhere up until now. Still, he could not help, but feel there was something waiting for them.

Harry led them ever onwards. At one point, they came upon a part of the hallway, where the walls on each side were littered with holes.

“Wait here,” Harry said, and without any warning, he raced along the hallway. Tiny arrows came shooting out of the holes in the wall, but he managed to get to the other side unharmed. He heard a click, and when he came running back, nothing happened.

The group went on for a while, but then, Harry stopped suddenly, when her heard something in the darkness, ahead. He couldn't feel anything, but there was something there, around the next corner, fifty yards, or so, ahead of them. Fleur's hand was trembling ever so slightly. Then the thing appeared. And all of its friends.

“Oh, you've _got_ to be joking!”

“What is it, Harry?” Bella asked, her voice tight.

“Walking mummies. Lots of them.”

He heard Nym suck in a breath. “I _hate_ this place!”

Harry unsheathed his sword, and leaned over, meaning for Hedwig to leap onto Fleur's shoulder, but the owl simply dug her talons into the leather. So, she was staying. “Wait here, please. I think this place is alright. At least, there's nothing behind us. I'm going to clear the way.”

“Harry, no!” Bella hissed.

“There's no time to argue!”

Without further ado, the young man charged the horde in front of him, his sword at the ready. He hacked, and he slashed. Stabbed and thrust, and quickly learned the only way to stop the mummies was to deal with them as you would a zombie; by cutting of their heads. Hedwig gave it her all, of course, and attacked the enemy with everything she had. 

Harry could swear he had to have destroyed at least two dozen of the things, but somehow, when one went down, it seemed two more took its place. Harry let out a pained grunt, when one of the mummies got a clean hit to his back. His armour absorbed some of the blow, but these things were quite strong.

Meanwhile, the three women were standing where Harry had left them, feeling useless. Fear had given way to anger in the three women, as they heard the occasional sound of pain escaping from Harry, somewhere in the darkness ahead.

Nym grit her teeth, put a hand on the wall, and started inching her way forward. There was simply no way she was going to stay there, and not do anything. Then Bella let out a curse.

“They're coming up behind us!” she shouted.

“ _Merde!_ Harry! We're being boxed in!” Fleur screamed.

Nym was getting angrier by the second. This was _not_ how it was supposed to go.

She pressed her palm harder on the wall, and moved faster. If they were going to die, she was going to die fighting at Harry's side, not cowering behind him like some cunt. Her hand landed on a strangely shaped stone, and she stumbled as it gave way. There was a grating noise, as a doorway appeared right next to it. At least that's what she hoped it was.

“Harry!” she called.

“Coming!” came the reply.

Hedwig came flying, and landed on Nym's shoulder. The three women stumbled through the door, but did not go further, just moved to the side, so that Harry wouldn't knock them over, when he came through.

Harry turned back, and ran towards the girls, his pace frantic, and slightly panicky. He was almost upon the doorway, but so too were the mummies. Harry rammed two of the monsters, that were getting close to the doorway, and put them down. Luckily, there were a few yards before any more would arrive, so Harry ducked through.

He looked around frantically, trying to find something to close the door. Surely, there was something on this side that closed it. Then, just as the mummies were about to reach them, he discovered a metal handle, almost hidden on the wall. He jumped forward, and pulled it. The door closed slowly, and crushed a mummy that had been halfway through, but because of that, the door didn't close properly.

Harry sagged against the wall, to catch his breath. Bellatrix inched her way to him, and put a hand on his chest. “Are you alright, Harry?”

“I'm fine,” he replied, and pushed himself off the wall, not quite managing to suppress a pained grunt. “Alright, I may have a cracked rib or two, but we can't worry about that now. That door won't stay like that. They'll get through eventually, and I'd like to be gone when they do.”

Harry looked around, and saw they were not in the ruin any longer, but some kind of natural corridor. There were narrow, winding steps hewn into the rock, but they seemed older than Hamunaptra. He took up his position at the front of the group, and led them down the stairs.

As they descended, Harry kept one ear on the door, and could hear it was slowly giving way. He wanted to move faster, but that would only lead to someone falling and breaking their neck. Then, suddenly, they noticed a blueish glow beginning to form, slowly becoming brighter, as they travelled further. The group started to move faster, now that they could all see where they were going. They eventually found themselves in a massive cave, illuminated by some plant, Harry assumed. He slowly let his hearing loose, and found there were quite a lot of beings down there.

He heard growling, and other unpleasant noises. And there was an even greater sense of malice down there, than in the ruin itself. They needed to find another way into the complex. Perhaps they could find something down there, to light the torches.

“It's some kind of fungi, I think,” Fleur, said and knelt down to have a closer look. “I'd advice against touching them with your bare hands. Some fungi are very poisonous,” she finished, and turned to look at Harry, then sucked in a hissing breath. “Harry!”

Bella, and Nym turned to look at him, and they reacted in a similar way to the Veela. Harry did not look good. His hands were all scraped, and while the armour had held up, but it looked like it had taken a real beating. The shirt was torn in places, and there was blood seeping through, but it was his face that gave them pause.

His hair was matted with blood, and his forehead had a bad gash, by the hairline. Then, there was his left eye, which was a bloody mess. It was horribly swollen, and it looked damaged. Hedwig gave a sad hoot, and took off. Nym rushed to him, but when she was almost by his side, Harry suddenly dashed forward, and pushed her out of the way, as a massive, bat like creature came swooping down from the ceiling. He swiped away with his sword, and a pained shriek came from the creature as it retreated into the darkness. For now. It would be back, Harry knew.

“You think this may be the death sentence they were referring to on the wall, Fleur?” Harry said as he scrambled to his feet, his good eye scanning the ceiling.

“ _Oui._ We were probably meant to find this place, Harry.”

“Yeah,” Harry said. “It was too convenient.”

Harry heard the door give way upstairs, and knew they would be overrun soon, if they did not find a way out. He looked about frantically, hoping to find some way out of this, but nothing stood out to him. He was starting to panic. It did not help, that the large creature was back. Now, Harry knew he could have taken it down fairly easily if he'd been alone, but he wasn't.

Hedwig barked somewhere further in the cave, and Harry felt her urge them on, to come join her, where ever she was. Harry ran on, the others following him, and eventually, they came upon a ledge, overlooking a lake. There was a kind of bridge leading to a small island in the middle of it. The whole place reminded Harry entirely too much of the cave he and Dumbledore had gone to, to try and locate the Slytherin's locket.

Then, Harry noticed the structure Hedwig was perching on, and froze dead in his tracks. Bellatrix and Nym were also still as stone. It was an arch like structure, and a dark veil was flowing in it's opening. Harry could hear the voices whispering, same as he had, that night in the DoM. Fleur regarded her companions, not really understanding what was going on.

Hedwig gave an alarmed shriek, which roused Harry. He turned, to find a large group of mummies, heading their way, and he knew that bat thing was crawling on the ceiling, just waiting for an opening.

“Harry,” Fleur said, her voice tight with fear. “We have to go through that thing.”

“No!” Harry growled. “That's how I lost Sirius!”

“Harry, sweetheart,” Bella said, and took his face in her hands. “You are the only one of us who can fight without magic, and you're in no shape to be doing any fighting.”

“But,” Harry tried to protest.

“Harry, we're going through that bloody thing, alright!” Nym shouted at him. “It's either that, or be eaten by that flying freak. And I really don't want to be torn apart by those fucking mummies!” she finished, and dropped from the ledge.

Bella went next, then Fleur. After agonizing over it for a moment, Harry followed his group over the bridge, and onto the island. The mummies were dropping of the ledge, slowly encroaching upon the group's position. Discreetly, Hedwig deliberately scratched a blasting rune atop the arch, causing it to start glowing, then swooped down from her perch. She hooted at Harry, and dug her talons into his shoulder, urging him on. Harry turned away from the Veil, and gripped his sword tighter, and was about to march on his enemy, when a hand gripping his own, stopped him.

“Come on, Harry,” Bella said, and led him to the arch. “We'll go in hand in hand, so that we won't lose one another, alright.”

Nym took his sword, and sheathed it, then took hold of his other hand, and Fleur grabbed the Metamorph's free hand. With a weary nod, Harry accepted their plea, and marched toward the Veil with conviction, and as one, they stepped through.

As soon as they did, the rune atop the arch glowed with a shining light, and a massive explosion thundered through the cave, as well as the lower levels of Hamunaptra, making the whole thing collapsed in on itself...

000000

Here's a picture of our delicate French flower: https://www.deviantart.com/junejenssen/art/Anastashia-790121922

Thank you for reading!


	15. XVI

XVI

Narcissa was poring over an old tome in the Black office in the Wizengamot, looking for anything she could sink her mind into. It might help her calm down. She couldn't explain why, but she felt extremely uneasy, and had felt that way for most of the day.

Of course, she'd had bouts of nerves ever since the group had left for Egypt, but until now, she had always been able to reach calmness by reminding herself that Harry and the others were extremely capable, and that Harry had the luck of the devil himself.

It wasn't working this time, however, and she was becoming frantic. She eventually slammed the book shut, and headed for home. She arrived in the Cave, marched straight inside, and into the lounge, only to find Andie and Minerva there, both looking as agitated as she was.

Miss Granger entered the lounge, carrying a tray of chamomile tea in a bid to soothe their nerves. Narcissa couldn't help but notice Hermione wasn't looking anywhere near as bad as she and her sister did. Not to mention Minerva, who was looking worse by the minute, as she paced in front of the fire.

"Professor McGonagall, please sit down," Hermione tried, but the Headmistress ignored her.

Then suddenly, Minerva gasped, and clutched her chest. Hermione could see the other two women do the same. Minerva stumbled over to a chair, and sank slowly into it, with a shuddering breath.

"Something terrible has happened."

"We must go to Gringotts," Narcissa said, when she had caught her breath.

* * *

The four women hurried to Diagon Alley, and almost ran up the Gringotts steps. When they reached the top, Threepwood was standing by a smaller side door, his expression grim, to say the least.

"Follow me, please," he said, and led the three women into the bank, toward the lower levels. Hermione could see a lot of goblins running about shouting and growling in their own, strange language.

Eventually, they found themselves in a conference room. Threepwood told them to sit down, and poured them all a glass of Firewhiskey.

"What has happened, Mr. Threepwood?" Andie asked, forcing herself to remain calm.

The diminutive goblin downed a shot of whiskey, and took a deep breath. "There was a massive explosion in the Dead City, earlier tonight."

Narcissa slowly closed her eyes, and used every ounce of Occlumency she had, to remain in control. She opened her eyes, and saw Minerva, and Andie do the same. Miss Granger, who only had a very rudimentary grasp of the discipline, wore an expression of pure horror.

"And our loved ones?" Narcissa asked.

Threepwood shook his head. "Unknown, but I'm afraid it doesn't look good. The whole ruin was obliterated. All that's there now, is a massive crater full of debris. Not even the Scarabs seem to have survived. Please, stay here. Someone will bring you something to eat, and we'll bring you any news, as they come."

Once the goblin had left, Narcissa rushed over to Andie and gathered her into an embrace. Her older sister buried her head in her shoulder and sobbed heavily, and Narcissa was barely able to keep it together. They all had so much to lose. A daughter, a sister, a niece, and a lover.

Minerva conjured a sofa, where they all sat down in silence. Hermione sat down in the sofa, her eyes roaming the room, but she kept finding herself thinking about what had happened at the Stronghold earlier, when the three other women had clutched their chests in pain, but she hadn't.

Going back a bit further, Hermione had noticed, that Narcissa had been in a bit of a state most of the day. A bit snappy, and difficult to be around. Eventually, she had left the older woman and gone home, and found Andie in a similar state. Then Minerva had joined them, feeling even worse.

Hermione knew they had been worried about the others, but why was she not feeling it in such an intense way?

"What happened earlier, Narcissa? Back at the Stronghold, I mean?"

Narcissa was quiet for a bit, before she rose from the sofa, and started pacing in front of them. "Hermione, when you realized you were in love with Harry, what did you feel?"

"Feel?" Hermione asked in confusion. "I'm not sure. Love, I guess. A bit silly that I hadn't recognized it sooner... You were there, Narcissa. Are you asking about anything specific?"

Andie turned to look at Hermione, and regarded her with an unreadable gaze. "Did he invade every thought? Every waking moment? Did you feel as if you needed to be around him, just so that you could have any chance at happiness?"

"All consuming," Minerva added. "Did his presence burn away any self doubt, sadness, or pain you were feeling in your heart?"

Hermione shook her head after a moment. "Not like that, no. I mean, the morning after the Wizengamot session, I could hardly think about anything but Harry. And I felt in love with him, but it wasn't anything like what you're describing."

Narcissa nodded. "I suppose it's time for the truth, then."

"Aye, that would be best," Minerva added.

"Truth about what?" Hermione asked.

"You're not The Owl, Hermione. And I never believed you were," Narcissa said.

Hermione felt a bit ill. While she had been having doubts about that Owl business, from the moment she heard it, hearing someone say that she was indeed not a part of whatever was happening with Harry and the others, was a bit hard. Worst, however, was hearing it from the woman who forced you to confront your feelings for your best friend.

Narcissa stopped in front of Hermione, and gave her a meaningful look. "Before you say anything, Hermione, I'd like to explain myself."

"Please do, Narcissa." Hermione was clearly quite upset.

"Yes, I did indeed lead you into believing you might be the Owl, Hermione, but I never felt you were quite right for it, mostly because of your upbringing."

"You didn't think I could join the group," Hermione stated, feeling a bit hurt. "Then why did you do that? Why have me confront my feelings for Harry?"

"Because I needed to get you away from the Idiot," Narcissa replied, and sat in one of the chairs, surrounding the conference table. "If you had stayed with Weasley, you would never have reached your potential. He would always have held you back."

"And that was the only way to do so?" Hermione asked incredulously.

"No. Usually, I'd prefer a more subtle approach, but this was the quickest route," came the reply. "I knew you'd want to free yourself from Weasley so that you could act upon your feelings for Harry, and that you'd want to do it as quickly as possible."

"But it's so... underhanded. You manipulated me!" Hermione was scandalized.

Narcissa gave her a smile, an icy smile that was devoid of any feeling. "I wasn't sorted into Slytherin, simply because I'm a Black, Hermione. When I meet someone, it takes me a mere few moments to understand them, their motivations and desires. How to use them to further my own ends."

"Aunt Dorea always said you could topple kingdoms without even trying, Cissy," Andie remarked. She walked over to the table, and poured herself, and Minerva another glass of whiskey.

"When Harry asked us to sit in the Wizengamot in his stead, we were given certain roles, Hermione," Narcissa said. "You are meant to be the face of change, the leader of the movement. And then there's me. If needed, I'm the one who moves in the dark, and stabs those who need removed, in the back, and blackmails the rest."

"Harry would never..." Hermione began, but Minerva stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.

"It's the way politics work," Narcissa continued. "Harry understands that, and it's one of the reasons he knows he can't stay there. He's too honest and righteous. Another reason is that he hates that place, with a burning passion. The Wizengamot sent Sirius and Bella to Azkaban, because the public called for their heads, and Fudge tried to use the assembly to have him expelled."

"But Harry's strong. He'd survive," Hermione said with conviction.

Narcissa nodded. "Yes he is strong, but you know Harry. He's upfront, and honourable. And he cares so much about people, that he wouldn't last a week in there. Or he'd change into someone we wouldn't know, a year from now. I am not prepared to sacrifice my love, on the altar of politics."

"And you think I'll manage it?" Hermione asked, a bit baffled.

"You are extremely goal driven, and ambitious, Hermione. If it wasn't so slanted towards blood purity these days, I believe you'd have been sorted into Slytherin," Minerva added.

There was silence for a few moments. "Who is the Owl, then, if it isn't me?" Hermione asked.

Before any of the other women could say anything, the door opened, and Griphook came into the room, followed by his nephews. He was holding something in his hands, wrapped in a piece of cloth. The four women rushed to meet him, their pace frantic.

"Any news?" Narcissa asked.

Griphook placed the bundle in his hands on the table in front of him, then went and sat down on the other side and motioned for the women to sit down.

"Well?" Minerva prompted impatiently.

"There's some news. Some of it bad, some of it uncertain," the goblin began. "We did not find a single living thing in the crater. There were mummies strewn about, and the carcass of kind of beast was discovered. We did not find any remains, that could be from the four that went into the ruin. But we did find this."

The goblin unwrapped the package, and revealed a rune covered piece of stone. Hermione leaned over to examine it, but she did not recognize any of the runes that were etched into the rock. She eyed the other three women, who shook their heads.

"What is it?" Minerva asked, in a barely controlled voice.

Griphook poured himself a drink, and took a sip. "It's a piece of a Gate."

"A Gate?" Hermione asked.

"Yes. There's only one in existence, that we know of, and it's in the Department of Mysteries."

"The Veil," Andie gasped.

"Precisely, Ms. Black. We believe they may have gone through, since we could not find any remains."

The three women were silent for a long while. The Veil. That changed things. While it was true, that no one had ever come back from the other side of that thing, the fact was, no one knew what it was.

The Unspeakables had studied the Veil for a very long time. Since the establishment of the Ministry, in fact. The prevailing theory, claimed it was a barrier between the worlds of the living, and the dead.

"Well, then," Minerva said, and downed the rest of her whiskey. "I just hope the man will return before the next school year starts. I suspect I will have an opening available for Defence against the Dark Arts, as usual. I was rather hoping to ask Harry, if he'd like the job. He'd do wonderfully."

Narcissa glanced at her sister, who raised an eyebrow, and smiled at her. "She's right, Cissy. I will not allow grief to eat me up. Until I see a body, my daughter, and the others are still alive."

"Yes, you're right, of course," Narcissa agreed. "Harry will not let a small thing like death stop him from coming back to us."

"We must gather the Order at once," Minerva announced. The other three women eyed her, not understanding. Surely she did not mean to march through the Veil, in the Death Room.

"You do realize what this means, don't you?" Minerva asked. "If the Veil is indeed what they think it is, then Riddle should be mortal, at least while Harry remains on the other side. This is our chance. Now we only have to find the disgusting _nathair_."

Narcissa smiled at the Headmistress. "Of course. I would like nothing more, than to welcome Harry and the others back, to a world free of Riddle."

"What do we tell everyone?" Hermione asked, as the women prepared to leave.

"The truth," Andie replied in a firm voice.

"Yes," Narcissa agreed, and grinned wickedly. "We tell the world Harry Potter is dead. That should draw the creep out."

* * *

Harry felt like he was standing on top of his Firebolt, the wind rushing around him, tugging at him this way, and that. He tried opening his eyes, but found he couldn't. To his relief, he could still feel Nym and Bella holding his hands, and he dearly hoped Fleur had not let go. And Hedwig, of course was still there, her talons securely latched into the leather of his armour.

Then, it stopped, the wind died down, and Harry opened his one good eye slowly. He took a deep breath, and heard his companions do the same. Looking around, he discovered they had found themselves in a small clearing, surrounded by a dense forest. The sun's amber rays told Harry it was nearing sundown.

"Is everyone al-"

That was as far as he got, before a terrible pain lanced through his head. With a grunt, he sank to his knees, vaguely aware of Nym, and Fleur doing the same. Hedwig flew off his shoulder, and onto Bella's, who strangely, was unaffected by whatever had happened.

"Harry!" Bella exclaimed, and knelt by his side, her eyes alarmed. As Harry dropped to his side, Fleur and Nym seemed to be recovering rapidly. The pair of them stumbled to their feet, and immediately turned their attention to Harry, who had coiled into a fetal position, his hands still clutching his head.

"Do something, Nymphadora!" Bella growled in panic.

Then suddenly, Harry started to relax, and was quickly recovering. After a moment, he rolled over onto his back, and opened his eye. "That was one hell of a headache."

Harry sat up, and meant to get to his feet, but Nym put a hand on his shoulder. "No don't stand up, yet. I'm going to take of your armour and shirt, and I'm going to have a look at you."

Nym unbuckled the cuirass, put it to the side, and did the same with the belt. Then she removed the chain mail, and arm braces and finally unbuckled his shirt. Harry's upper arms were badly scratched in places, and he had nasty bruises here and there on his torso.

She raised her wand, and... nothing. She mumbled an incantation, with the same result.

"It isn't working! Fucking hell! Fleur?"

Fleur tried her own wand, and got no response. " _Non,_ " she simply said.

Harry swished his own, and it was completely dead. He tried to extend his senses, but had no luck. Closing his eyes, he focused on his magical centre, and to his shock, there was nothing to be found. No cave, nothing.

"My magic's gone, Nym. It's just empty. There's nothing there," he said in disbelief.

" _Lumos!"_ Bellatrix whispered, and to her shock, the crystal at the end of the staff lit up with a brilliant light, while her wand remained lifeless. " _Nox!"_ And the crystal went blank.

"Well, this works," she said, and knelt by Harry's side.

"Alright," Nym said. "Harry, this may hurt a bit, alright," she said, and looked him in the eye. At Harry's nod, she placed her hands on his sides and back, and pressed gently. Harry gave a small grunt.

"Well, nothing seems to be broken, but your ribs may have hairline fractures, or be badly bruised."

"What can I do?" Bella asked, in a worried tone.

Tonks glanced at her aunt. "The spell I want you to use is _Brackium Emendo_. It mends broken bones. It's very simple, and doesn't require any wand motion. There are other, better spells a competent healer can use, but I hadn't quite gotten the hang of them, yet. And besides, I don't know how you'd do them with that staff, anyway."

Bellatrix nodded, and gripped her staff by the end, at the foci, and recited the incantation. Nothing happened. She cursed, and did the incantation for swelling, and pain relief. " _Felura!_ " Again, she had no success. "Fuck!"

Nym shook her head in irritation, and turned her attention to Harry's eye. Fleur opened up the Bag, and extracted a canister healing salve they had taken with them. Tonks grabbed the salve, and spread it liberally onto Harry's swollen eye, and after that, she rubbed it into the bruises on his back, and sides.

"So, what now?" Fleur asked.

"Well, I'd like to stay here for the night. The swelling of Harry's eye should go down, and his bruises much better by then," Tonks said, and reached into the Bag, retrieving a shirt for Harry, who put it on quickly.

Tonks eyed the Bag curiously. "Hey, why does the Bag still work, while our wands don't?"

"I don't know," Harry said. "I mean, I can't feel my magic, but I am still the same as I was before, and Nym's hair has been changing colour non stop since we got here. Fleur, can you still feel _**Her**_?"

" _Oui_ , Harry. _**She's**_ still here," the French Veela said, and sat down next to Harry. "I think it may have something to do with the nature of the charm on the Bag."

"How so?" Harry asked.

"Well, there's a rune etched into the leather of the Bag, that draws energy from the world around it, and the Extension charm was bound to it. As long as there's energy feeding the rune, the Bag should work as intended."

"So, it must not have run out of juice when we were in the tomb earlier," Nym concluded.

"Either that, or it's feeding of this place, but I could be wrong."

Fleur, and the two women set about making camp, while Harry scooted over, and leaned back against a nearby tree. He closed his eyes, and focused on the sounds of the place they had arrived in. A deer, some ways off, and a fox. There was a stream close by, and he thought he heard a fish jump, and land in the water. He tried sensing the world, but it wasn't working, of course.

Harry relaxed. There was nothing he could hear that might be threatening to them at that moment. He knew they needed to talk about what had happened, but not now. No, tonight, they would sleep, and rest. They could tackle this new place in the morning.

* * *

A ray of sunlight hit Harry's face, and forced him to wake up. He blinked his eyes rapidly a few times, and realized he'd fallen asleep against the tree the night before. There was a blanket around his body, and he felt very warm. Bella, and Fleur were leaning against him, on either side, sleeping soundly.

Nym was next to Bella, also sleeping, but there was no sign of Hedwig, yet. Harry wasn't overly worried. She usually went for a hunt, in the early hours of the morning, and would no doubt be back soon.

He felt his eye gingerly, and learned the swelling had almost gone, and was happy it hadn't been damaged. He gently moved Bellatrix and Fleur around, so that they wouldn't fall over, and got to his feet. He felt around his body for a moment, then moved it around for a bit.

His body was stiff, and felt all kinds of wrong, so Harry walked over to the Bag. He took of his shirt, then removed the sword from the Bag, and unsheathed it. He carefully examined it, and found it was in excellent condition, but needed to be cleaned. Well, that would come after, when he was done.

Nymphadora roused when Bellatrix nudged her, with her elbow. She turned to look at her aunt, who had on a kind of a naughty look, and motioned with her head. Tonks turned to see what was happening, and was not disappointed.

Harry was shirtless, working his sword through various... forms, she thought they were called. His torso was covered in a thin layer of sweat, and his muscles tensed and relaxed, as he moved in a slow, methodical fashion.

Tonks noticed Fleur join them, and that her breathing was a bit laboured. She had a glint in her eyes the Metamorph had never seen before, and before Tonks could say anything, she felt as if she'd just had the greatest sex in her life. She could not take her eyes of the young Veela, and her eyes roamed all over her friend's perfect body. Her lips, the lovely, bountiful breasts, nicely flared hips, and of course that delectable ars-

"Nymphadora! Snap out of it!" Bella hissed, and gave her niece a shove.

"Huh? Wha?" Tonks became aware of her surroundings again, and blinked her eyes a few times. When she had regained focus, she saw Harry holding Fleur close, and that he was whispering something to her. She nodded, and gave him a small smile. He released her, and she walked over.

"I am sorry, Tonks. I lost control of _**Her**_ for a moment. I will try, and make certain it does not happen again."

"It's OK, Fleur," Tonks said, and shook her head. "I know you struggle, sometimes. And who can blame you? I mean, look at him!" she said, and grinned at Harry.

"Now, now," Bella admonished them. "Don't embarrass Mr. Potter. See? You're making him blush," she finished, and the three women laughed heartily.

"You done?" Harry asked as he put on a shirt, in that same dark green colour as the other one.

" _Oui,_ Harry."

"Alright. Now, how about we go and take a look at this place?"

"Put on your armour, Harry," Bella said, her tone firm. "I'm not taking any chances."

Once Harry had put on his armour, and his cap, he looked up into the sky. "Has anyone seen Hedwig?"

None of his companions had seen her, and Harry was becoming a little worried. Oh, well. There wasn't anything he could do. His Owl did whatever she wanted, and she could certainly take care of herself.

"There's a river, a little ways to the west. I suggest we head there first, follow it for a while, and see where that takes us."

With Harry in the lead, the group set out, moving at a good pace. Without the use of his special abilities, Harry had to rely on his hearing, at least while they were in the forest. They reached the river without incident, and learned it was very big. Easily over a hundred yards wide, and fairly deep.

"A river this big, will have towns on it, Harry," Fleur said as she gazed south, along the bank.

Before Harry could answer, however, Hedwig gave a bark somewhere close by. Harry's eyes immediately found her, perching in a tree to the south. The relieved young man smiled, and set off in her direction. When Harry was almost at the tree, she dived down, and latched onto him, nibbling lovingly at his earlobe.

"Hey, girl. We're heading south, are we?" Hedwig gave a low hoot.

"Alright, let's go!"

* * *

The group had been travelling the heavily wooded bank for a few hours, when they came upon a narrower part of the river, that had been bridged. The sturdy stone bridge was a fairly straight forward affair, and wide enough for four or five people to walk across, side by side.

Or four, horse driven wagons, such as the ones that were passing each other on the bridge at that moment two heading in each direction. One was carrying slabs of some kind of rock, and the others were covered with a thick cloth, secured around it with straps. The foursome quickly ducked behind some bushes, before anyone could see them.

While the wagons weren't that strange to Harry, after all, there were people back home, like that weird lot in the US that drove wagons, some of the people flanking them were a strange bunch. For one thing, they all wore armour of one kind or another, and were armed with swords, axes or bows, and different kinds of pole arms.

"I'm going to talk to them. Stay here, out of sight, OK?" Harry whispered.

"Be careful, love," Bella said, and squeezed his arm.

Harry nodded, and slowly made his way toward the road. "Ho, there!" he called to the drivers, his palms facing forward. "How far to the next town?"

The guards on both teams reacted immediately, by readying their weapons, and then glare menacingly at Harry, who had stopped, his palms still facing them in a gesture of non violence.

"Who goes there?" One man, who had a mark on his armour asked.

"My name's Harry, and I seem to be a little lost," Harry said, and gave them a sheepish smile. "I was wondering if you could tell me how far it is, to the next town?"

The man looked at Harry a while longer, before he spoke. "You travelling alone? Unwise. There have been reports of bandit activity on the roads for a while now. You're lucky you do not match any of their descriptions, boy."

"Oh, I'm not alone," Harry replied and called to his companions, who emerged from behind the bushes. "I'm here with some friends. They're Bellatrix, Fleur and Tonks. Please, put away your weapons. We just want to get to town."

The man's gaze traveled around the group, his eyes lingering for a moment on Bella's staff, before he motioned with his hand, and the teams relaxed.

"You'll find the mining town of Stoneheart three day's march to the east. There's not much to see there, so you should head to the south-west, to the town of West Harbour. You should get there in a week, or so at moderate pace, if the weather holds."

Harry nodded at the man, and he and his group slowly walked up onto the road, careful not to make any sudden moves. Every man there seemed to be strung so tightly, that they were about to snap.

"Thank you for that, Mr..." Harry said, and extended his hand to the leader, who grabbed it after a moment's hesitation.

"Ivar Gnaeus, and don't mention it." He looked Harry up and down, with an appraising eye and then the girls. "Say, you wouldn't be interested in a job, would you?"

That surprised Harry. "Pardon?"

"The wagon heading into the mountains is a bit light on security. I'd feel better if I could send a few more of my men with them, and I can offer you five gold pieces to accompany me to the city, in their stead and help protect the cargo and the workers going for leave."

Bella was a bit skeptical. "Is this normal? Just offering random strangers work, in the middle of nowhere?"

Ivar chuckled. "No, it is not, but you seem capable, and you're a mage, which in itself should discourage any bandits. I have a good feeling about you lot, and my gut isn't often wrong. So, what do you say?"

Harry looked at the girls, who all shrugged. They didn't much care, but they were heading that way anyway, and there was safety in numbers.

Harry shook the man's hand. "Deal. But, you're only getting my sword, and Bella's staff. Fleur, and Tonks aren't fighters."

"Fair enough. Move out!" Gnaeus snapped.

* * *

That night, once they'd made camp, Harry sat down by the fire he shared with his companions, and began cleaning his weapon. He was getting looks from the rest of the guards, looks of appreciation and a bit of envy, perhaps.

After Harry had worked for a while, Ivar approached him, and sat down opposite. "So, kid. You mind telling me how you came to find yourself out here, by yourselves?"

Harry shared a long look with Bella, and the others, before deciding to tell the man the truth. Some of it, at least. Perhaps he would know of another Veil they might go through.

"We were exploring a ruin on our own world, and were forced into some sort of gate, and ended up here."

Ivar looked at Harry for a moment, before shrugging. "Stranger things have happened. Now, that's a fine weapon you have there. What's it made of?"

"Meteoritic Silverite," Harry replied, and sheathed the sword.

Ivar nodded. "Fancy. Well, get some rest. We set out at first light."

The four companions watched the leader leave. Harry turned toward the others with a frown. "I know he mentioned earlier, that he would have his men stand watch, but I think we should, too. Something about all this doesn't sit too well, with me."

"I reckon you're right, Harry," Tonks agreed. "No one offers complete strangers a job like this, out of nowhere, and compared to the rest of the guys, our equipment looks very expensive. They've been giving us looks. "

"Ok. You three rest, I'll take the first watch."

The three women rolled out their bedding, and went to sleep, leaving Harry alone to his thoughts. This was completely unexpected. They weren't dead. Unless, of course this was the afterlife. He turned his gaze toward Fleur and Nym, and he felt very worried.

Neither of them were capable of defending themselves in this world, if it was what it looked like. Well, Nym knew how to disarm people, since the Auror program did teach a little bit of physical self-defense, but that wouldn't be enough, Harry knew.

A motion to his left alerted Harry to someone moving into the trees, slipping away. Harry went, and removed his bow, and quiver from the Bag, then moved over to Bellatrix, and woke her up.

"Bella, wake up Nym and Fleur, and stay alert. Keep your staff close. Some people just left camp, and I'm going to see what's going on. If Hedwig comes back, you get ready, alright?"

"Harry, why don't we just leave?" Bella hissed at him.

"What if someone is going to alert those bandits Ivar told us about before? If they raid the caravan, what about the workers? I assume most of them have families."

"Harry's right," Nym said, and stood up.

"We can't just leave." Fleur added, nodding her agreement.

Bellatrix clenched her teeth in annoyance. These people had nothing to do with them. She sighed, knowing none of her companions would consider running.

"Go and alert the workers, but try to elude the guards. We don't know who of them can be trusted," Harry said, and dashed into the thicket.

* * *

Harry moved as quickly, and quietly as he could through the forest, wondering all the while just how unlucky one person could be. He was in another world, and, once again, he was forced into something like this.

Then he heard the men, somewhere ahead of him. Harry slowed down a bit, not wanting to be discovered. After they had traveled a few hundred yards, they came upon a small clearing, where a force of some twenty men or so had gathered.

"Report," a large man holding a large halberd, barked at the newcomers.

"There are a couple of wagons worth of loot in this shipment, that will give us a good yield, but the big prize are couple of women that should fetch a good price. Beauties, all of them, and one of them is a mage," one of the traitors said.

The large man's eyes seemed to light up at that, and he whistled. "You hear that, boys? We'll be rich!"

"Any news from camp?" another of the traitors asked.

"We had to put one of the dark bitches down, yesterday. She killed one of the men. A shame, too. She was one of the pretty ones. Would have fetched a good price. Well, I would have killed the idiot myself, anyway. We do not touch the merchandise."

"So, we're moving after this raid?"

"Aye. The Guard will have to act soon. The gold fattening his purse has had the captain looking the other way, but he'll have to be seen doing something, eventually."

Harry was fighting a losing battle with his temper. These men were slavers. He knocked an arrow, and pulled on the string, taking aim at the large man. But, as fate would have it, a cloud hiding the moon drifted away at that moment, and the flash of the arrowhead caught the brute's eye. As soon as it happened, Harry noticed Hedwig take off.

As soon as Harry let the arrow fly, one of the traitors was yanked into its way by the big man, who snarled a curse. The man hit with the arrow, fell dead to the ground.

"Move it! We're under attack!"

Most of the men rushed into the forest, with only six or so left in the clearing. Harry dropped his bow, unsheathed his sword, and charged into the group, slicing, and dicing as he went. As soon as the battle began, Harry understood this wouldn't be as easy as it had been so far. These men knew how to fight.

The trick was to keep moving, so he had to rely on his speed. He rolled under a swipe from the large halberd, and thrust his sword into the chest of the closest man, as he came to his feet. He yanked the sword free, and twirled to the side, and another was killed by a errant shot from a crossbow.

Harry rushed the shooter, and engaged him, before he could load another bolt into his weapon. The man dropped the crossbow, and unsheathed a knife, but was unable to bring it to bear, before he was beheaded by Harry. Three left.

"Go! Join the others!" The brute snarled. "I'll take care of this one. You'll just get in my way!"

Alone, Harry, and the bandit leader, circled one another for a moment, before they came together in a clash of weapons. The halberd came flying, but Harry managed to angle it down, and it stuck in the ground.

Harry wasn't able to press his advantage, however, as the man let go of the stuck weapon, and unsheathed a large sword. He came at Harry, who met the other man's weapon head on, and the swords locked.

It was a mismatch. Harry was much stronger than the other man, despite the difference in size, and he pushed his enemy almost all the way across the clearing, where the brute ended on his back, in shock.

Harry didn't give him a chance to recover, and rushed over with all haste, and thrust his sword into the man's heart. Not wasting any more time on that idiot, Harry rushed back the way he came, but had the presence of mind to pick up his bow.

Harry sprinted as fast as he could through the forest, and came out in camp, and discovered a shocking scene. There was no fighting, no clash of steel, or flying arrows. Instead, it was eerily quiet.

Most of the men were standing on wobbly legs, staring at the tall creature that was standing in the middle of the camp, holding one of the men he'd seen in the forest by the neck, which was clearly broken.

It was Fleur. Only, it wasn't the Fleur Harry knew. It was _**Her**_. Fleur's eyes were completely black, had no irises, and her face, while still otherworldly beautiful, had become covered with scales of some kind, and her teeth were pointy. The hand that was holding the unfortunate man was covered with the same scales as her face, and at the end of her fingers, were claws that had to be at least three inches long, and wickedly sharp.

Harry let his eyes roam the scene, and found Hedwig, and Bellatrix off to the side. Bella, and Nym were standing in front of a group of workers, and Bella's staff was glowing. She was holding her niece by the shoulder, and the Metamorph was obviously struggling to maintain consciousness. Harry's eyes found Fleur again. Only partly transformed, she was this powerful? Harry shuddered to think what she'd be like, fully transformed.

"Is there anyone else among you pathetic little weaklings, who would hurt me or mine?" **_She_ **said in a low, sensual voice.

**_She_** casually dropped her victim onto the ground, and sashayed towards the next man. "You, perhaps?" **_She_ **ran a claw down the man's cheek, then grabbed him by the neck, and squeezed. The man's eyes bulged out in fear, but he was so entranced, that he couldn't do anything.

Harry recognized that man as Ivar's second in command. "Fleur!" he shouted, and cautiously entered the camp proper.

The _**Veela**_ dropped the man, and slowly turned her black eyes to Harry. Her mouth curved in a seductive smile, and _**S**_ ** _he_ **glided toward him, grabbed him by the hair on the back of his head, and kissed him wantonly. Harry couldn't help himself, and responded in kind.

" _Vous, qui etes digne de mon amour et de mon respect_. At last we meet. If only it was under more _pleasant_ circumstances," the **_Veela_ **said once the kiss was over. "Though I must admit, it feels good to stretch my legs."

"So I assume you are here to protect Fleur?" Harry asked, once he'd gathered himself.

"But, of course. She is me, as I am her. I care about my precious little Flower more than I do anything else. Now, I have learned these _men_ have a place in an abandoned quarry close by."

"They told you?"

_**Fleur** _smiled at him and cupped his cheek lovingly. "Few are those, who can withstand the powers of the mundane Veela, my sweet, and fewer still when _**We**_ come out to play. But not you, my lovely. You're special. And you're all mine. The others are lucky I've deemed them worthy, to share you with them."

Harry felt a bit uneasy. Was there some sort of universal language such erotic women employed, because Fleur sounded an awful lot like the vampiress Maria. Harry rather hoped Fleur wouldn't be like that. Maria was bloody dangerous. Harry mentally chided himself. Fleur made Maria look like a novice.

"I'm not-" That was as far as Harry got, before Fleur silenced him with another searing hot kiss. Once _**she** _was done, _**she** _bit his lip hard enough to draw blood, then pulled on it a bit, before letting go. Harry felt a little dazed, and more than a little randy.

"I believe I have taken care of the _filth_ ," the _**Veela** _said with a look of disgust,"and I would like to go back to where I belong. The transformation takes a heavy toll on Fleur, because of her constantly reining me in, and she'll be very weak for a couple of days. I can count on you to protect my darling little flower?"

"With my life," Harry said with absolute conviction.

A shudder of desire ran through the partly transformed woman in front of him. "So _strong_ ," **_she_ **breathed, before leaning in for a hug.

Harry put his arms around her, and felt as Fleur slowly started transforming back. She shrank almost half a foot, and her skin returned to normal, and Harry could hear a definite change in her heartbeat, and breathing. Finally, she slumped in his embrace, too weak to stand on her own two feet. Harry picked her up in his arms, and headed toward Bella and Nym.

"Harry?"

"Shh, it's OK, Fleur. You're alright," Harrys said. "As are the others. You saved them."

" _ **She**_ wasn't too awful, was she?"

"You shouldn't worry too much about that now. Just rest, Fleur."

By then, he had reached Nym, who had almost recovered. Bella had gone for a blanket.

"Remind me never to do anything to really piss you off, babe," Nym said, and grinned at Fleur, who managed a weak smile in return.

"So, what happened here, before all this?" Harry asked, and gently put Fleur down.

"They came running out of the forest, and Ivar's men were quick to respond, but couldn't do much, when a few of them turned out to be for the other team. It was bad for a moment, before Fleur took action." Tonks revealed.

"She saved all of us, Harry," Bella said, and covered Fleur with the blanket. "Thank you, Fleur."

Fleur smiled at Bella, then allowed herself to drift off to sleep.

"Stay with her. I'm going to talk to Ivar," Harry told Bella and Nym, and headed of to meet the team leader.

Ivar was milling about his men, when Harry arrived. "How bad?"

The older man turned a weary eye on Harry. "Half my team gone, the rest are wounded. Some badly."

Harry nodded. "I'm sorry to hear that. I hope you understand why I didn't have my friends alert you to the danger."

"I do," Ivar said with a nod. "You had no way of knowing who the traitors were. Why didn't you just leave? This has nothing to do with you."

"And leave the workers to their fate?" Harry asked incredulously. "No chance."

"A man of honour, I see. Somewhat of a rarity these days."

"My friend told me she learned of a quarry nearby, where they supposedly have set up their base. Why hasn't anyone done anything about that?" Harry asked.

Ivar let out a long breath, and stared at the night sky for a moment. "The captain of the Guard is most likely in their pocket. Until two months ago, I was a sergeant in the guard, and I'd heard rumors of the captain taking bribes."

"And?"

"And I mentioned it to a man I thought I could trust. Well, I suppose I have him to thank I wasn't thrown off the pier, only discredited, and driven out of the Guard."

"Where is this quarry?" Harry asked.

Ivar turned to the forest, and pointed. "On the other side of the forest. About half a day's journey, there's an overgrown path that leads to a small mountain. It's in the foothills."

"Alright. What will you do now?"

"There's a farm, close by, owned by an acquaintance, Magnus. We sometimes take shelter there, if there's a storm. I'm going to have to ask him to take us in, while I send a rider to West Harbour for wagons, and medicine."

Harry turned to look at Bella and Nym, who were keeping vigil over Fleur. He knew what he was going to do, and he hated himself for it, for putting them through it. Then he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"You're going into the quarry aren't you?"

Harry looked at Ivar. "Yeah. They have slaves there. Some big brute said they had to put one of 'the dark bitches' down yesterday, because she killed someone who was about to rape her."

Ivar frowned, then rubbed his face. "Oh, by the gods. You fools."

"What is it?"

"Elves have always been treated as inferior to the other races. I don't know why, but that's how it is, and slavery is a real problem. Rumor has it the elves are ready to go to war, to force a change. A council has been called at a place known as Crossroad Keep, to try and settle things. The thing is, the dark elves make their home in the Great Sands."

Elves? Dark Elves? Harry wasn't certain what to make of all this. "The Great Sands?" he settled on asking.

"Right. The Great Sands is a large desert to the east. It covers almost half of the island we're on. They would have to go through here to reach West Harbour, and take ship. I have a sinking suspicion these idiots may have been under orders to attack the delegation sent by the dark elves, to make certain they won't reach Crossroad Keep."

Harry's eyes narrowed. "You think there's more than that, though. You think they were sent to start a war?"

"Possibly. Things are extremely tense, and it won't take much make people snap."

Harry ran a hand through his hair. "Then we have to get those elves out, before someone comes to collect."

Ivar nodded. "Agreed, but I cannot leave my men, much less the workers. I do not expect any trouble from now on, but... I hate to ask this, but as things stand, I'm going to have to ask you to leave your mage with us. She's a force to be reckoned with."

Harry chuckled. "You have no idea. And yeah, she's staying. They all are."

Harry slowly made his way over to Bella, and the others. Bella looked up when he approached, and became angry immediately, when she saw the look on his face.

"No."

"What do you mean 'no'? I haven't said anything," Harry grumbled, and unstrapped his sword, and put it into the Bag, then extracted a harness that had four knives in it. Two long ones that had a curve to them, and two smaller ones. He buckled it on, the long daggers peeking over his shoulders, and the two smaller ones resting at his lower back. Once that was done, he grabbed his quiver, and and bow.

"Whatever idiotic thing you're planning to do, I forbid it, Harry," Bella declared fiercely, and marched up to him.

"Harry, what's she on about?" Tonks asked, and rose to stand by her aunt.

"The idiot is going to raid their base, Nymphadora."

Tonks sent Bellatrix a death glare for her breach of protocol, but didn't comment on it. She'd prank her later, somehow. "Harry, what the hell are you thinking?"

"There are slaves there, Nym. Waiting to be sold at auction to the highest bidder. I know at least one of them was put down like some kind of animal, because she resisted being raped. I will not ignore it, and I will not wait. I can't."

"And we're staying here, are we?" Bella asked unhappily.

Harry took his lover's hands in his own. "The people here need you, Bellatrix. Fleur and Nym, too. I'll be OK."

He turned to Nym, whose hair was a lanky brown, as it always was whenever she was unhappy or sad. "When I get back, we'll see about beginning training you, and Fleur with some weapons, alright?"

Nym nodded. "Just promise me you'll be careful, OK?"

"I'll try," Harry replied, and gave Bella a kiss. Then he set off at a run, and Hedwig took to the skies, watching over her Harry.

As Bella watched the man she loved head, yet again, into danger without her, she felt her anger toward him dissipate, to be replaced with determination. She sat down on the ground, and grabbed the book on her staff wielding. She needed to get better, if she was going to be of any help to Harry, moving forward.

Tonks growled low in her throat, an impressive display, since she practically sounded like a lion. Then she made her way over to Ivar, to help with the wounded.

* * *

Harry set a strong pace through the forest, the knowledge of the elves' predicament driving him. He just couldn't leave those poor people in there a moment longer than they had to be. He was becoming more and more frustrated and angry with how some people treated those weaker than themselves. Different world, same bloody problems.

Eventually, Harry stumbled upon the path that lead to the quarry, but retreated back into the forest, as he didn't want to be seen. He managed to get there without being discovered, but by then, it was past midday, and the sun was shining. With some effort, Harry landed on the decision to wait for darkness to make his move.

Shielded by the trees, he moved around the quarry, which was a kind of a large pit, with circular paths leading down to the bottom, where he could see a number of empty cages. There was a door to one side, which Harry felt certain the captives were being held.

Harry climbed onto a large cliff that towered over a part of the quarry, and scouted the place. It took a while, but he mapped out the moving patterns of all of the twelve guards he could see. There were three stationed on top of the quarry, and the rest were wandering around down in the pit itself. Harry couldn't stop a grin that found its way onto his face.

The place would be poorly lit, and there were all sorts of obstructions down there, which would be perfect to help him stay out of sight. Unfortunately, that meant he would not be able to pick them off with his bow. He'd have to fight the ones at the bottom with his knives. Having finished his scouting, he climbed down, and settled in the forest to wait for nightfall.

He found a tree to hide behind, well beyond any guard, and leaned back. Then Hedwig came swooping down, and landed on his thigh. Harry stroked her beak, and she leaned into his touch. As always, he felt comforted by her presence. He let out a sigh. He was tired. So bloody tired.

"Why do I have to be like this, Hedwig? Why do I care about a bunch of people I have never seen, in a world I'm not planning on staying in?"

Hedwig looked at him in a way that seemed to say; _It's who you are, Harry. It's who you've always been._

Harry and Hedwig had always shared an empathetic understanding of one another, but this time, it was different. Harry was too absorbed in his own thoughts to notice how it almost seemed like she was conversing with him, however. "But why? I mean Bellatrix, and Narcissa wouldn't do this. Hell, Nym might not even do it, and I believe they're all good women."

Hedwig bumped her head into his abdomen. _They are good women, but they're normal, so to speak. Even Nymphadora. You're not, Harry._

Harry grinned at his friend. "I suppose I'm not. I sometimes wish I was, though."

Hedwig ruffled her feathers, in annoyance. _No you don't. Normal people are boring. Why do you think I like you so much? Us freaks need to stand together._

Harry smiled a genuine smile, and stroked her gently a few times. "Sometimes, I feel like you're the only one who understands me, girl and you just might be the best thing that's ever happened to me. I'll have to properly thank Hagrid for bringing us together, one day."

He looked her right in the eyes and was gripped with an unbelievable fondness for his greatest friend. "I love you, Hedwig."

Unseen by Harry, who had closed his eyes to sleep a little bit, Hedwig's chest puffed out in pride, and a pleasant thrill ran through her. It was tainted with a sadness, however.

If only she could tell him how she felt exactly the same, how envious she always felt, when she saw Bellatrix, or any of the others pull her Harry into their embrace. She desperately desired to tell him that he belonged to her, and that she would always be by his side, not matter what.

_Soon._

* * *

With one of his smaller knives unsheathed, Harry crept slowly behind the last of the three guards at the top of the quarry. As soon as he was in reach, Harry rose up, and grabbed the man, and slit his throat, then carried him off to a nearby crevice, and gently lowered him into it. Luckily, those three hadn't carried a torch.

Harry quickly wiped the blood off the knife, and sheathed it. He took his bow in hand, and knocked an arrow. Taking aim at the guard who was most isolated from the rest of them, Harry let fly, and hit his target in the head. Predictably, the closest one heard his companion fall, and went to check on him, only to fall to an arrow in the neck.

Harry shouldered his bow once more, and dropped onto the uppermost ramp, and then quickly onto the next one. He silently dashed over, and snapped the neck of the unfortunate sod who happened to be close by, and gently laid him on the ground. Now, there were no men left on the ramps. He unsheathed his two long knives, took a long, deep breath, and took a running leap of the ramp.

Harry's leap took him over the lowest ramp, and it was a total drop of almost fifty feet. He landed in a roll, came out of it, and immediately flicked one of his knives to deflect a crossbow bolt, that came his way.

Harry was very impressed with how the people down there, had not allowed their shock to derail them by more than a single breath. He twirled around, slashing, and thrusting, but the people he was fighting knew what they were doing.

A sword thrust came in from the side, and nearly skewered him. Harry barely parried it, then twisted away, but stumbled, as he caught a bolt in the thigh. Knowing he had to put down the woman who kept firing at him, he kept moving, while eyeing her.

He was engaged by the other fighters, but he caught sight of the sharpshooter loading her weapon. Using the opportunity, he launched the knife in his right hand, and hit her square in the chest. That little distraction proved somewhat costly, because he caught a glancing blow to the head with a club one of his enemies wielded.

It momentarily stunned Harry, who had to drop onto his back, to avoid having his head cut off. The club came crashing down, but he rolled out of the way, and managed to slice through the Achilles tendon of another guy, who dropped his longsword as he fell to the ground.

Harry stabbed the man in the chest, and left the knife there as he grabbed the sword, and quickly got to his feet, and faced the three enemies that were left. The clubber, and two swordsmen. Harry noted a keyring on the clubman's belt. Harry felt a little more confident, now that he had a sword in his hand, but it was a badly forged piece of garbage. It was so poorly balanced, it felt like a bloody sledgehammer, and it was almost completely blunt.

Using this small lull in the fighting, Harry reached down, and broke off the stem of the bolt, leaving only a half inch. Then, he rushed his enemies, and engaged them in a furious battle. Gritting his teeth through the pain in his thigh, he worked up to his full speed, and without the threat of the crossbow looming, Harry managed to isolate each one, and quickly dispatch them.

Panting heavily, Harry dropped the crappy longsword, and stumbled over to the fallen woman, and yanked out the knife. He then made his way over to the other knife, and did the same. Once that was done, he removed the keys from the belt of the clubber, and made his way over to the door.

There was a small grate in the door. Harry peered through, into a sizable ante room with several empty bedrolls, and he noted a supply cache to one side. He opened the door, and winced as it creaked loudly, and listened intently for a moment, but no one came running. What he wouldn't give for his magical sensory abilities.

Feeling somewhat safe, Harry made his way over to the cache, and found some cloth he could use as a bandage. He quickly dressed the wound on his thigh, which luckily wasn't bleeding too badly. Now knowing the shape of the bolt head, he'd have to leave it in for now. Once that was done, he removed his blood soaked cap, and found a bad cut on the side of his head, above his ear. He quickly took care of that, too.

Now, he was ready to venture further in. He left the room, and found himself in a corridor that sloped slightly downward. He heard muffled voices ahead, quite obviously distressed.

Harry rounded a bend and entered a circular room, that had seven cells carved into the rock. Each was equipped with a door you'd find in any old prison, and Harry quickly noted everything. In each cell, there were two prisoners, most were men, but there were a few women. Most of the prisoners were in bad shape; dehydrated, and malnourished.

One cell was different, though. In it, Harry saw what he assumed was the body of the woman the big brute had mentioned, earlier. And while that, in itself was horrible enough, seeing a little girl that couldn't be more than eight years old, hugging her knees by the back wall of the cell, almost made Harry ill. Those fucking animals hadn't even bothered to remove the body from the cell. The girl made Harry think of Sarah Burton of Bullswick.

"Excuse me? Sir?"

The voice was hoarse, and hesitant. Harry turned and walked over to the cell whence it came. He opened up the door, and swung it wide, allowing the young man, and woman to exit. He took a moment to look them over. Both were quite dark of skin, their hair almost completely white, and their eyes were red. They had also been undressed, and were only wearing their underwear.

"My name's Harry, and I'm here to get you out. Can you people travel?"

They both nodded. "Yes, if it means getting out of here," the woman said.

Harry nodded, and removed one key from the ring, then handed it to the man, who proceeded to open up the other cells. Harry made his way over to the cell with the dead female elf, and the child. He opened up the cell, and picked up the corpse, and gently put it down on the floor outside the cell.

Turning around once more, he called softly to the girl. "You can come out now. It's alright." The girl didn't move, however.

"Perhaps one of you should go get her?"

One of the women nodded, and went into the cell, but the girl refused to move. "Asha, please."

When the girl still refused to move, the woman grabbed a hold of her arm, but the girl lashed out at her with her fingernails, nearly drawing blood. She retreated, and gave Harry an apologetic shrug.

Harry turned his attention to the dead woman. "Was the woman her mother?"

"Yes," one of the men said. "Shari. She was the sister of our queen Shala, and chief diplomat. She was also the sister of Shana, our ambassador in the human kingdom."

Harry sighed. Of course she was. Steeling himself, Harry entered the cell, and took hold of the girl, who immediately attacked him, but Harry was much stronger than the woman, and easily restrained her.

"Shhh. It's alright, sweetie. It's over. No one's going to hurt you, any more."

She struggled a bit more, but she was obviously exhausted, and couldn't go on, and finally slumped in his arms, defeated, and lost consciousness. Harry arranged the girl properly in his arms, and told the others to follow him.

"No! We cannot leave Shari here. We must bury her," the elf Harry had talked to first when he entered the room said with some force.

"What's your name?" Harry asked.

"Kalas."

"Alright, Kalas. I understand this is difficult for you, and I do not blame you in the least, for wanting to honour her. It's a noble thing, but we must be gone by the time those who paid for you lot to be kidnapped come here to collect."

The man could only nod his acceptance. Once they reached the room Harry had found earlier, the elves found their clothes, and other gear. Two of the elves grabbed packs, and loaded them with any food, and other useful things they could find. The rest went to a rack by a wall, and grabbed a weapon. Harry could instantly recognize that none of them had more than a passing familiarity with them. Noting an ink pot, and quill, as well as some rough parchment on a table, Harry scribbled a quick note, then folded it into a small square.

Harry led the elves out of the room, and into the quarry, but stopped. "Hedwig!"

To the surprise of the elves, a large, snowy white owl came swooping down, and landed on the human's shoulder. Their rescuer offered the bird the note.

"Will you go find Bella and the others, and let them know I'm alright?"

The bird was obviously quite reluctant. "Please? It'll give them a peace of mind. You can always return, once you've delivered it."

The bird relented eventually, and bumped her head affectionately into her human's head, then leapt into the air.

"Where are you taking us," Kalas asked.

"Magnus's farm. You know it?"

Kalas nodded. "I do."

Harry then led the group onto the ramps. He set a quick pace, wanting to put as much distance between them and the quarry as possible. Once they reached the forest, Harry slowed down, to a more manageable pace for the elves.

"So what happened, Kalas? I already know about the assembly at Crossroad Keep. All I want to know is what happened when you were taken."

"When we set out from the Oasis, we only had a small team of guards with us, because we were supposed to be met by a detachment of guards from West Harbour, that would join our own guards, and keep us safe."

Harry frowned. "That's a bit of a leap, wouldn't you say?"

Kalas nodded. "Yes, I would. I protested, but our queen's advisor, Jango told her it would be seen as a good thing, that we would be willing to extend such trust."

"What happened then?"

"We arrived at the predetermined location, and found there were indeed men waiting for us, and their leader was marked as we were told he'd be, which is why we were taken unawares when they attacked. They killed all of our guards there, and you know the rest."

The elf spat on the ground. "I suppose we can see now just how far we can trust the humans."

Harry was silent for a while, and listened to the little girl's heartbeat. "Don't be too hasty, Kalas. There's a man waiting for our return, who believes these men may have been hired to kidnap you to start a war."

That made Kalas uncomfortable. "Well, that won't be too hard, as things are. War is a can of worms that we must try and keep closed. No one in their right minds want a war."

"No, they don't, but war can be extremely lucrative for the right people."

Looking around, Harry could tell the elves were pretty much dead on their feet. They needed some rest. "We'll stop here for a while. Eat. Sleep, if you can. I'll keep watch."

Harry put the girl down, and reached for a blanket in one of the packs, wrapping both her, and himself in it. Three hours, then they would keep going.

* * *

When Asha woke up, she was warm, and she was jostling about a little bit. She quickly realized she'd been wrapped in a blanket, and strapped onto the back of the man who had taken her from the place, where she and the others had been held. She tried to remember what he looked like, but it was a bit blurry.

"Don't be afraid," the man said. "Look around. Who do you see?"

Asha did look around, and she saw people she knew, walking behind, and beside them, and they were obviously alright.

"Kalas!"

The elf perked up, and turned his gaze to her. "Asha! How are you doing?"

She ignored his question. "Where are we?"

"Headed toward West Harbour. We'll stop by a farm, to join our rescuer's companions. He's offered to protect us, until we reach the ship."

Asha nodded, and leaned back against the man, who she noticed was limping. "What happened?"

"A crossbow bolt," the stranger said. "Are you OK? Are you comfortable?"

"Doesn't it hurt?"

"I've had worse. I'll manage," the man responded.

Asha was silent for a bit. "You can put me down now. I can walk by myself," she demanded, and patted the man on the shoulder.

"Alright," the man said, and motioned to Kalas, who quickly unbound her, and helped her to the ground.

When she was free, the stranger rolled his shoulders a few times, and shook his head, as if to clear it. He then removed a head bandage, revealing a bloody cut on his head, above a very pointed ear.

"You're an elf!" Asha exclaimed in wonder. She looked around, and noted all the others were equally surprised.

"No. Human."

"But Harry, the ears," Kalas pointed out.

"Long story," the man - Harry said.

Asha let her eyes roam over the man, and she had to admit he didn't look like any elf she had ever seen. He was too tall, and too heavily muscled. And then there were the strange eyes. No, he probably was telling the truth about not being an elf, but human? Surely not. Her eyes then landed on his thigh.

The bandage was becoming red, and the bolt was clearly still in there. She eyed his face again, and saw he was a bit pallid, sweaty, and most likely feverish.

"You have an infection, Harry," she said.

"I know. I'll have it looked at when we get to where we're going. We're only a few hours away."

They set out once again, and Asha insisted on walking at Harry's side, despite him asking her, then telling her to stay back, with Kalas. Eventually, after half an hour of silence Asha became tired of it.

"Where are you from, Harry?"

Harry eyed her from the corner of his eye. "A large city called London. Or a village called Godric's Hollow, depending on how you look at it."

Asha became thoughtful. "I've never heard of a city called London, and my father insisted I learn all the important ones."

"Well, it's far from here, Asha," Harry replied, then grunted in pain.

"We're going to have to remove the bolt, Harry," Asha said. "Kalas!"

The elf came running. "Yes?"

"You've had some medical training. We're going to have to remove the bolt from his thigh, before it does him any more harm."

The elf looked slightly ill. "Right." Then he went and got one of the packs.

"Sit down, and lean against the tree, Harry."

Harry sighed and did as he was told. Besides, she was right. "Be quick. I want to get to the farm before dark."

As Kalas got ready to remove the bolt, Asha knelt by Harry's side, her eyes intent on him. "Why are you here, Harry?"

Harry cracked one eye open. "Pardon?"

"Why did you risk your life for ours? We're complete strangers to you, and not even of the same race."

Harry shrugged. "I don't know, Asha. My friend Hermione tells me I have a 'saving people thing'. I learned you were being held captive, and would be sold as slaves. I took exception to it."

"You're not a part of the Guard."

"I don't know what to tell you," Harry said, and took a deep breath. "How about you answer a couple of my questions now?"

"Alright," Asha said, and made herself comfortable.

"Why is a little girl travelling with so few guards? I would have thought the niece of the queen would be too important to be placed into the care of humans."

"I am being sent to my aunt Shana to study under her. To prepare for when I eventually succeed her, as ambassador. As to why I was sent with this group, It's simply because there was an opportunity. We dark elves do not travel much, outside of the Sands."

By then, Kalas had prepared everything. He brought a couple of steaming rags, and a wickedly sharp knife. He used the knife to cut away the bandage Harry had wrapped around the arrow, and his thigh. Kalas took one look at the wound, and hissed. There were dark lines reaching out from the wound, in several directions.

"What?" Asha asked.

"Well, the wound's definitely infected, but I could have dealt with that. The herbs we would need for that grow all around us, but..."

"But," Asha prodded.

"There's an infection in the blood, Asha. There's nothing I can do about that. He'll need a cleric, and soon. For now, I'll remove the bolt, and clean the wound. Luckily, the bolt isn't barbed, so I can pull it out easily enough."

Asha nodded. "Do it."

"You know, you talk like a forty year old, Asha," Harry remarked as he leaned against the tree, his eyes closed.

The young elf girl, and Kalas exchanged a worried glance.

"Just relax, Harry, and let Kalas take care of you."

* * *

Harry could feel he was fading fast. He was sweating buckets, and shivering, and his thigh hurt like hell. Even so, he was still ahead of the group, and he was managing to stay alert, for the most part. Pulling out one of his long knives, and focusing on holding it had helped with that.

Eventually, they quit the forest, and Harry could see Magnus's farm in the distance. "There! That's the one, right?" he said, and turned a tired eye to Kalas.

"Yes. That's the one," Kalas said, and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Harry, you need to rest. Sit down a moment."

Harry shook his head. "No. If I do that, I won't be able to get up again, Kalas. I told myself I'd see you to safety, and that's what I'll do," Harry said, and trudged on, his steps heavy, and irregular.

The elves looked up in alarm, when they heard the fluttering of feathers, and the large snowy owl from before came flying from the direction of the farm. Harry stopped, and the bird landed on his shoulder. They saw him smile in relief.

"Hello, Hedwig." Harry's breath was laboured. "I'm alright, just a little-"

That was as far as he got, before he dropped the knife, and toppled to the ground. Before any of the elves could respond, however, someone shouted Harry's name.

* * *

"Harry!"

Asha looked up, and saw three women approaching, at a dead run. The one leading the charge, and quite far ahead of the others, was a woman of average height, and short of hair, that changed colour in a rapid fashion, before settling on mousy brown. She reached Harry, and dropped a bag she was holding on the ground, before she herself knelt by his side.

"What happened?" the woman demanded.

"Who are you?" Asha asked.

"Tonks. Now, are you going to tell me what the bloody hell happened?" Her hair flashed an angry red, before reverting back to its earlier mousy brown.

Kalas stepped forth. "He was hit by a crossbow bolt in the thigh. I removed it, but there's an infection in the blood. There's nothing to be done, unless he reaches a cleric, but the closest one is in West Harbour, at least a day's journey from here, on a fast horse."

"Fuck that," Tonks said. "I'm not losing him!" She turned to Bella, and Fleur, who had just arrived.

" _Mon Dieu!_ " Fleur gasped, as she saw Harry.

"Bella! Give me a light."

Bella nodded, and whispered an incantation, and the tip of her staff lit up. She brought it down, and her niece set about cutting away the bandage. She growled in her throat when she saw the state of his wound, and how far the infection had spread.

"Fuck! Fleur, there are a couple of bottles in the bag, one green, and one yellow, and a syringe. Bring them here."

" _Oui, á la fois._ Right away, Tonks."

The Veela quickly extracted the flasks, and handed them to Tonks, who popped open the green one, and poured the contents into Harry's mouth, and carefully coaxed it down his throat. Once that was done, she opened the yellow one, and pulled a large dose into the syringe. She plunged the needle into Harry's thigh, and injected the fluid into him.

"There's a paste in a round tin can, in there, Fleur, and some bandages." Tonks said. "Smear a bunch of it onto one roll of bandage, and give it here."

Fleur did as she was told, and gave it to Tonks, who gently, but firmly wrapped it around his thigh, and secured the ends with a clip.

Asha watched it all with a rapt interest. These were his companions, then. The three women were all exceptionally beautiful, and having watched all this happening, she would bet all the gold in the treasury back home, that Harry was involved with all of them. An intriguing prospect.

"His fever is going down," Tonks said, and sagged a little in relief.

Bellatrix clicked her tongue. "I'm going to kill the idiot, when he wakes up!"

"You'll have to get in line," Tonks said, and put a hand on Harry's forehead.

" _Oui,"_ Fleur said with a frown. "It's my turn to scold him for being a fool, _non_?"

"You know, I kind of wish Andie was here," Bella said with a small grin.

Tonks stared at Bella. "Are you trying to kill Harry? If you let mum loose on him in this condition, he'll die from the shock."

"Well, the last time she had a go at the idiot, he took me and her, and Cissy with him to Hogwarts to search for the diadem," Bella said with a quiet laugh.

Fleur snorted in a very unladylike fashion. "Perhaps I should let _**Her**_ express her displeasure."

"You know, I wouldn't even have bothered with all of this if I'd known you were going to do away with him," Tonks said and removed her hand from his forehead, and frowned at it.

"He's not sweating. We need to get him to the farm, and hydrate him."

At that moment, a wagon pulled up, and a stocky human who looked like he was in his late fifties, early sixties, climbed down from the seat. A large orc wielding an axe came jogging a moment later. He was big, even by orc standards, at eight feet tall.

"How's he looking?" the man asked.

"He'll make it, Magnus" Tonks replied.

"Hmm. Good. I'm going to want to thank him personally for this." He turned to the elves. "So, you're the lot that was being held in the quarry, then."

"Yes, sir," Kalas said and stepped forth.

Magnus scanned the edge of the forest. "Am I going to have to be worried about a retaliation?"

Kalas shook his head. "No, sir. They're all dead."

"How many?" the orc asked suddenly, in a voice that sounded like a large stone tile being dragged across a paved road.

"Twelve," Kalas said.

The orc raised an eyebrow. "First, he kills Boris the Bear, and now this? Strong fellow."

Bella looked at Harry with pride. "You have no idea, Kurgan. He recently defeated a twenty foot giant by himself. And when he was fourteen, he survived an encounter with a dragon, with only a scratch."

Now, that revelation had the orc staring. "Truly?"

" _Oui_ ," Fleur confirmed with a nod, and a smile.

"Hmmm." Kurgan eyed the young man with something akin to respect. "Perhaps he would be willing to test his might against mine?"

By then, Asha had had enough. "Excuse me, but do you think you could take us somewhere we can clean ourselves?"

The farmer turned his attention to Asha. He eyed her up and down, and seemed to dismiss her out of hand, and turn once more to Kalas. That didn't sit well with the young elf girl. Not at all.

"Mr. Magnus, I wasn't done."

Magnus sighed. "Alright, then. Kurgan, put the young man onto the wagon, please."

He turned to Asha. "You, onto the wagon as well. It's past your bedtime."

Asha was in a rage. It was disrespectful, the way he was treating her. Managing to fight down a scathing remark, she climbed onto the wagon, after Kurgan had put Harry there. Tonks climbed up as well, and the elves that were the worst off. Hedwig latched onto the wagon as well, her eyes locked on her human.

After the wagon had set off, Asha turned her attention to Tonks, who was completely focused on Harry, her light mood from before evaporated. Now might be a good time to try and understand these people.

"You're all in love with him?"

Tonks barely acknowledged her, but nodded. "Yes. We are."

"And yet, you let him go alone."

Tonks's hair flashed an angry red, and she leaned over to Asha. "No one _lets_ Harry James Potter do anything. This is none of your business, little girl, so leave off."

Asha wasn't about to do that, now that she had Tonks talking. "What's so special about him, that he has three women willing to share? I mean, he doesn't seem all that special."

Tonks kept staring at Harry, trying to maintain her composure, but she was struggling. Asha might be a child, but the little bitch was really pissing her off! Who the hell did she think she was?

"That's enough, girl." Magnus the farmer turned in his seat, and gave her a look. "Who they are, and what they're about is no concern of yours, and whatever secrets they have are theirs to share if they want."

Tonks gave Magnus a grateful smile. Asha wasn't best pleased, however.

"Human, I have just about had it with-"

"Girl, you say one more word, and I'll have you out mucking the stables before dawn. Understand? Now, I don't particularly care to know why you're trying so hard to push her buttons, but I do think you should be more grateful to the man who saved you from spending the rest of your life on your back at a brothel, down in Cold Rocks."

Asha leaned back against the wagon, and sighed. He was right. She was annoyed with herself. She was used to have her way back home, but she wasn't back home, and it was rather unbecoming, the way she had been acting.

She wasn't doing it to be a brat, however. She, and all of the others owed their rescuer a life-debt. She, as the highest ranking member of their party, would take on all the debts, and she wanted to learn more about her rescuer, and his companions. Of course, she could simply ignore the debt. It wasn't as if it was somehow magically binding. It was a matter of honour to repay it, however.

"I apologize, Ms. Tonks. I merely wanted to learn more of him."

The young woman nodded, but didn't respond, her eyes locked on the man lying on the wagon bed, and Asha was again surprised to see the level of dedication that was being displayed. She could not deny that he had a noble air about him, and that he was probably more than deserving of the women's love.

By then the wagon had reached the farm, and stopped at the front door of the main house, which was rather large. Kurgan lifted the young man in his arms, and carried him inside, to be greeted by a beautiful woman in her late forties. To Asha, the way she carried herself, she had obviously been an adventurer or warrior in her youth. Of course, the long knife with the worn hilt on her belt, told its own story.

"Bring him to the room next to the master bedroom, if you please Kurgan. I'll go fetch warm water, and clean rags."

"Aye, mistress Sigrun."

Ivar then came stalking towards them, his face etched in worry. "What happened?"

"A bolt to the thigh, and an infection of the blood," Tonks replied. "I've already taken care of it, all he needs is a little rest."

"You've already taken care of an infection of the blood? Without a cleric?" The mistress of the house asked, the doubt clear on her face.

"I have my ways," Tonks merely said, and followed the orc, as he carried Harry to the room.

"When Fleur arrives, send her to the room, please. She needs to rest. Oh, and bring me some drinking water."

Kurgan placed Harry in the bed, then left Tonks alone with him. She proceeded with carefully removing his armour and clothes. There was a knock on the door, and Sigrun entered, and closed the door, but not before Hedwig darted inside, and landed on the headboard.

"What is the secret with that bird, Ms. Tonks?" Sigrun asked, as she put down the steaming bowl.

Tonks eyed Hedwig fondly. "She's his first and closest friend. They've been together for nearly ten years. He was separated from her for almost two years, and she's been completely latched onto him, since he returned."

Sigrun eyed the bird. "That's impressive loyalty, to be sure, and it seems to me, that he inspires the same in the people he meets."

"He does," Tonks said with a nod, and began cleaning Harry with the wet rags. She was meticulous in her work, and eventually, she had only to clean his back. Without being asked, Sigrun helped Tonks lift Harry onto his side, but she nearly dropped him when she saw the scars on his back.

"By the gods! What happened?"

"Werewolf."

Sigrun stared at Tonks in disbelief. "A werewolf?!" She had thought those things were merely myth.

"Yes, he put it and its friends down a few months ago." Tonks cleaned Harry's back, and eased him down again, then began easing water down his throat, a little bit at a time.

"He's had a hard life, and given how much Fate seems to think of him as her chew toy, it's only going to become harder, still."

"The thing with the elves?"

Tonks nodded. "We're not of this world, as you know, and somehow, he's become embroiled in some kind of civil war. And he'll fight, no doubt. He hates injustice, and from what I have heard so far, the elves have been hard done by."

"That they have."

The door opened, and Fleur walked in, her brow low, and her eyes drooping.

"Damn it, Fleur! I told you to stay here!"

Fleur sent her friend a glare. " _Non!_ Did you think I would stay here, and not come with you? I love him just as much as you, and Bellatrix do."

Tonks sighed. Of course she did. "Get in the bed, and rest, alright. He'll be fine in the morning."

Sigrun watched the interplay with wide open eyes. The young man was involved with all of those women? How odd. Well, it was none of her business. She walked out of the room, leaving the three of them in there. When she was almost at the end of the corridor, she came upon the oldest woman, Bellatrix, who was staring on the wall, watching the one opposite with a frown.

"Ms. Black? Are you alright?"

The other woman turned her attention from the wall, and onto her. "Sure. Annoyed with that stupid idiot in there, but I should know better by now, than to expect anything else from my Harry."

"He's done things like that before, then?"

Bellatrix smiled sadly. "He's been doing such things since he was eleven years old, Sigrun. In truth, he should be dead many times over."

Sigrun nodded. "He's strong, though. I think he'll be alright."

Bellatrix eased herself away from the wall, and walked toward the room. "I hope so."

* * *

Harry woke up, but kept his eyes closed for a moment. He took in all the scents in the room, and was relieved to find his three companions, as well as Hedwig in there.

"You know, Harry, you sure do suck at being a hero," Nym, who lay in the bed, on his left side, said in a playful voice.

"What?" Harry asked incredulously, and opened his eyes. He turned his head and stared into Nym's eyes, which were a strange shade of silver that morning.

"Well, yeah! You're always injured after trying to save someone."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right, Nym. Good thing we're going to be starting to train you and Fleur, then."

Nym smiled at him, but her eyes became sad. "No more almost dying for you, you barmy bastard. My heart can't take much more of it."

"I'll try."

"Thank you," Nym said, and rested her head on his chest.

Harry turned his head to look at Fleur, who was resting on his other side, her back turned to them.

"How's Fleur?"

"Tired. She'll be fine, Harry."

Hedwig gave a low hoot, and Harry smiled at her. "Hey, girl." Hedwig gave her human another hoot, then swept out the window for a hunt.

"About time you woke up, idiot!" Bella growled as she rose from her bedroll, her naked body on full display as she set about dressing herself.

"Morning, Bella. What a nice way to wake up."

"Shut it, you! I'm angry at you."

"I'm trembling," Harry said in a jovial voice. He continued in a more serious tone. "I promise to be more careful next time."

"That's not enough, Harry," Bella said, as she laced up her armour. "Not any more. Next time, we will come with you, and that's final."

Harry nodded, knowing it was completely useless to try, and tell them any different.

"Harry, we are going to need you to say the words," Fleur, who had woken up, said and got out of bed. She was also naked. Harry couldn't reply, and simply stared at the women, open mouthed.

Nym laughed at him, and gave him a kiss on the cheek, and got out of bed. Unlike the others, however, she was dressed, and ready to face the day.

Her eyes lingered for a long while on Fleur, though, and Harry could've sworn the Veela put on a bit of a show for the Metamorphmagus, and probably allowed some of her Allure to trickle out, because Nym's eyes went cloudy, and she almost began drooling.

Harry shook his head clear, and swung his feet over the edge of the bed. "I swear I'll not go charging into something like this by myself, any more."

The three women smiled at him, seemingly satisfied. Harry stood up, and made his way over to a chair where his clothes, and armour had been placed. Harry smiled when he noticed his clothes had been cleaned.

Once they were all dressed, they quit the room, and made their way to the dining area, to find the master, and mistress of the house, as well as Ivar, Asha and Kalas, waiting for them. They were sitting at the dining table, which was laden with food, and drink.

"Good morning," Sigrun said with a smile.

"Hello," Harry said, and inclined his head. "I want to thank you for taking us in..."

"Magnus and Sigrun," the man said, and they both extended their hands, which Harry grabbed without hesitation.

Harry turned to Ivar. "How are your men?"

Ivar grimaced, and ran a hand through his hair. "We were able to heal many of them, but some are still poorly. I sent a rider to West Harbour, as soon as we arrived here. Assuming he wasn't waylaid, they should be here tomorrow, or the day after, at the latest."

Harry nodded, and sat down at the table, and turned his attention to Kalas. "And your people?"

"All we need is food and rest, Harry."

"That's good."

"Harry," Ivar began, and rubbed his hands together. "We have been talking about what you told me, about that Gate."

"And?"

"None of us have ever heard about anything like that, Harry."

Harry shared a look with his companions, who were all a bit disappointed.

"But," Ivar continued. "If there is anyone who might know something about it, you're bound to find them at the College of Crossroad Keep. It is the centre of knowledge, and research in the realm."

"He's right, Harry," Kalas said, and gave Asha a look. The young girl nodded. "We would also feel much safer if you would be willing to accompany us on the long journey. Even with favorable currents, it will take us almost three weeks."

"Girls?" Harry asked.

Nym shrugged. Bella and Fleur nodded at Harry. "Might as well. We have nothing better to, really. And, this sounds like our best bet," Nym concluded.

"Alright. Seems we will join you, then," Harry said, reached for a plate, and loaded it with food. His friends did so as well.

Once Harry and his companions had sated their hunger, Farmer Magnus caught Harry's attention. "I would like to thank you, Mr. Potter, for ridding us of this menace in the quarry."

"Don't mention it, Mr. Magnus. It was the right thing to do. Now, if you'll excuse me..."

* * *

They quit the house, and Harry walked over to an area where he could see a few training dummies, and archery targets. He sat down by a tree, and began taking care of his blade. Bella walked over to him, sat down next to him, and sunk herself into the large tome on staff wielding. If they were going to be waiting for Ivar's friends, they might as well make it productive.

Fleur, and Nym stood by for a while, watching them, until they, too sat down. This was the first time either had seen Harry take care of his sword, and they found it somewhat soothing.

"Nym," Harry said suddenly, as he reached into the Bag.

"What is it, Harry?"

Her friend pulled out a long package, wrapped in a cloth. He handed it to her, along with a bottle of oil, and a cloth. She unwrapped the package, and discovered a long, thin sword that looked extremely sharp. The blade was covered with runes, similar to the ones she'd seen on Harry's sword.

The hilt was protected by an intricate metalwork; a snake that had been moulded into the figure of eight, and Nym recognized it as the snake that ate its own tail, the _Ouroboros_. The knuckles would then be protected by a piece of metal that curved toward the pommel, but didn't quite reach the end, and stopped about a quarter inch short. All in all, it was quite beautiful.

"I'd like you to clean the sword, and oil it. The difference between a living fighter, and a dead one is the condition of their weapon. You won't sharpen it today, but I'll teach you how, soon."

By that time, Harry was done with his work, and put away his weapon. He then reached into his Bag once again, and extracted his bow, and quiver, and a pair of smooth, leather arm guards.

"Fleur."

The French Veela came over, and took the bow and quiver, feeling somewhat silly. Harry led her to the straw targets. He walked up to the target, and measured the distance at ten paces.

"At his distance, all you have to worry about is not missing the circle. You won't have to worry about angling the bow upward, or account for wind. That will come later."

"Nym is quite a bit stronger than you, Fleur, and she'll do fine in close combat. I think you'd be best served in the back row, attacking from a distance, with Bellatrix. Now, lace on the arm guards, then let me see you draw the bow."

Fleur did so, and found it was surprisingly light. "I would have thought it was heavier," she commented, and drew it again.

Harry nodded. "It's one of the advantages of the recurve bow. You'll get the same power with less draw weight, compared to the traditional longbow. Also, you don't have to be ten feet tall. This time I'd like you to knock an arrow."

Once Fleur had done so, Harry came up behind her, and helped her set herself in the correct position. "Keep your feet a little apart, it helps with the balance. Whenever I draw the bow, I like keep my thumb beneath my jaw, and the string at the tip of my nose, like so."

They drew the bow. "Remember to keep your left arm straight. If you prefer to hold the bow at a bit of an angle to the right, that's fine. Now, I want you to release the arrow, but don't 'let go' go of the string. You want it to be as smooth as possible, so think of it as relaxing you fingers. Take a deep breath and hold it, and let the string slide off."

Harry let go of Fleur, and stepped back. She did as she was instructed, and the arrow flew, and hit the target near its edge.

"Well done, Fleur!" Harry exclaimed and smiled at her.

Fleur's chest swelled with pride and happiness. She felt giddy and excited, as she always did, whenever she learned something new.

"Don't worry too much about aiming. Just keep practicing, and get a feel for the bow, and work on your release."

Harry then noticed Sigrun make her way over to them. "Why don't you go and help your friend Tonks, Mr. Potter. I am very well acquainted with the bow. I'd be glad to help her along."

"I wouldn't want to impose..."

"Nonsense," the mistress of the farm said with a smile, and a wave of her hand. "It's been a while since I had a pupil, and I think she'll do very well."

Smiling at Fleur's blush, Harry made his way over to Nym, who was finished with her work. Harry took the weapon and examined it, and was happy with the results. He sheathed the sword, and had Nym buckle it on.

"Very good, Nym. Follow me, please."

The pair of them walked over to the dummies, and Harry examined them, and found them satisfactory. He bent down, and smeared dirt on a few points on the dummy.

"Unsheathe the sword, please."

Once that was done, Harry kept going. "What you're holding is a rapier. It's mostly made for thrusting, but you can slash with it, once you've become proficient with it. How does it feel, Nym?"

"Fine, Harry." She swung it about a few times, and then held it steady. "I like it."

She grinned. "What are you going to teach me first, boyo? ' _Bonetti's Defence'_?"

Harry understood immediately where she was going. "Well, it is excellent on uneven terrain," he responded, and went over, and picked up a small branch that lay on the ground. "Then I'll attack you with the ' _Capa Ferro_ '."

Nym smiled brilliantly. "Hah! I'll cancel it out with my excellent ' _Thibault_ '!"

Harry then swung the branch with a flourish. "Luckily for me, I've brushed up on my ' _Agrippa_ '!"

Nym laughed out loud, and took up a ridiculous fencing stance, but that wasn't all. Her hair turned black, and curly, and morphed into some kind of mullet, that reached her shoulders. Her eyebrows thickened, and, incredibly, she grew a moustache!

"Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya," she began in a terrible Spanish accent. "You killed my father. Prepare to die!"

That did it, and Harry had no choice but to let the branch go as he doubled over, holding his stomach, and howled with laughter. Nym wasn't any better off. She had morphed back into her usual self, and thrown the sword off to the side.

Laughing soulfully, she stumbled over to Harry, tackled him to the ground, and straddled him, her hands on his chest. While Harry was still shaking with silent laughter, she had stopped laughing, and simply stared into his emerald eyes that were always so expressive. What she saw was pure love, and affection.

She had loved Remus, no doubt, but she had never felt comfortable enough with him to let her own silly, bubbly self go so completely, as she had done several times since Harry had returned. It was liberating, and fulfilling. And the best thing was, Harry was just as silly, and goofy. God, how she loved him for it.

That was it. She wasn't going to deny herself any longer. She slowly leaned down, and gently captured Harry's lips with her own, and moaned ecstatically as she did. _Merlin_ , but it felt good. She felt Harry slide his hands up, and down her back. She purred low in the throat, and ground her self onto him, forcing her tongue into his mouth. She thoroughly explored Harry's own tongue, that welcomed hers. After a few moments, the new lovers had to come up for air, and they were both panting heavily. Nym let her head rest on his chest, and sighed happily.

"You know, I've always had this massive crush on you, Nym," Harry admitted, once he had caught his breath.

Nym chuckled and closed her eyes. "I know. Did you know I was kind of into you, too? You were just so young, back then."

"I thought there was something there, but I wasn't sure."

"Well," Nym began, and got to her feet, and pulled Harry up. "Now you know. I'm going to want you to show me how _into_ me you are soon, because I'm starting to feel itchy."

Roaring with laughter at Harry's deep red blush, Nym picked up the rapier, and approached the dummy Harry had marked earlier.

"So, how does this thing work, exactly?"

* * *

So, there you go, chapter sixteen. I hope you like it. 

Here's a picture of Nym. Waddaya think? https://www.deviantart.com/krysdecker/art/Cheers-love-the-summer-is-here-699712869


	16. XVII

XVII

It was late in the afternoon, and the two living Black sisters found themselves at the edge of a park in Little Whinging. It was packed with people. Not surprising, since it was a sunny day. The sisters crossed the park, and entered a street called Magnolia Crescent. They passed a few houses, and found an alleyway that would take them to Wisteria Walk, and from there, they would head to Privet Drive.

The sisters entered the deserted alley, but stopped short when a tabby cat meowed at them. The cat walked towards them, sat down on its hunches and gave them a look, before morphing into Minerva McGonagall.

“Good afternoon,” she said stiffly, in way of greeting.

“Good afternoon, yourself, Minerva,” Narcissa replied. “Might I ask what you're doing here?”

Minerva raised an eyebrow. “I should think it rather obvious, Narcissa. I intend to accompany you to visit Petunia. I fail to see why we must, however.”

Andie frowned at that. “In the event that Harry does not find his way home, Petunia should know of her nephew's passing. But why are you here? I believe we all agreed that it would be best if us sisters went alone. You and Hermione both told us you couldn't trust yourselves to maintain your composure in that house.”

Minerva nodded. “Yes, we did, but I cannot stay behind. I was there that night when Albus gave our Harry over to _them_. I sentenced him to that place and it's only right that I learned something of what it was like, first hand.”

“I'm certain Harry has already forgiven you for that, Minerva,” Andie said.

“He has, but that doesn't mean I've forgiven myself. While Harry may be a very forgiving person, _too_ forgiving, in fact, I am not. I carry grudges, Andromeda, and right now, I am carrying a rather large one against myself.”

She turned around, and headed in the direction of Wisteria Walk, and Narcissa, and Andromeda had to hasten their steps quite a bit to catch up with her. They eventually fell in line with the older woman, but after a while, Narcissa put a hand on Minerva's shoulder.

“Slow down, Minerva. It's too hot to move so quickly. It's fine, we have time.”

“I suppose you're right,” Minerva conceded, and slowed down.

As the women walked along the street, they eyed their surroundings critically, and the more they saw of Little Whinging, the more they disliked it. All the houses were the same. The same hedges, the same cars, even the front doors were painted in the same colour.

“Harry once called this place sterile and soulless,” Andie began. “I didn't really understand what he meant at the time, but I can see it now.”

Minerva agreed. “Yes. This place is indeed horrible.” The Headmistress looked around, and noted the stares of almost everyone they passed, and whoever saw them over their hedges. “Did he mention nosy neighbours to either of you, by any chance?”

“Yes, but I can't really blame them for staring, this time,” Andie said in a low voice. “We're not exactly dressed according to the latest trends, you know.”

Narcissa almost snorted at the truth of her sister's observation. By wizarding tradition, all three of them were wearing black, late Victorian era mourning gowns. The hem of the skirts reached to about two inches above the ground, and the bodices were buttoned up in front, and had a high collar, that was held together by a piece of onyx jewellery.

While all three women were absolutely certain Harry and the others would return to them, they were in a kind of mourning, because their loved ones were, technically, dead and unreachable. It was only fitting to dress accordingly. Well that, and they were all pretty certain their appearance would have Petunia's neighbours talking.

They finally found number four Privet Drive, and to no one's surprise, it was just as boring, and soulless as the rest of Little Whinging. Andie noted the car wasn't there, which led her to hope Harry's uncle might not be around at the moment. It would make things quite a bit easier. The trio walked up to the house, and Minerva rang the bell.

000000

Petunia was working in her back garden, when she heard the doorbell ring. She leaned back from the rosebush she was working on, and wiped her forehead. It sure was a warm day. She turned to her son, who was lounging in a sun chair, reading his chemistry book. Dudley was quite serious about his education, these days. The one good thing to come from her nephew's disappearance. Dudley had told her Harry vanishing had given him an even broader perspective than his cousin saving his life had, and that he was done dithering about.

“Dyddums, could you get the door, please?”

“Mum! How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?” Dudley moaned as he got out of the chair.

“I'm your mother, dear. I'm allowed.”

“I suppose,” came the surly reply. Dudley entered the house, made his way over to the door, and opened it.

“Yes? Can I-”

Dudley could only stare. In front of him stood three of the prettiest women he had ever seen, outside of the films. No, pretty wasn't strong enough to describe these beautiful creatures. He then noticed how they were dressed, and concluded they had to be a part of _that world_.

He resisted an urge to feel his behind, just to make certain the pig's tail wasn't there any more. Then, as he registered their dresses properly, he was reminded of a film he'd seen once, where a woman had worn a dress just like that, and why. He was filled with dread.

The oldest of the three cleared her throat. “Is your mother home, Mr. Dursley?”

Dudley nodded. “Mum!”

A few awkward moments passed, until Petunia arrived at the door. She took one glance at the three women, and seemed to lose all the strength in her feet, and almost sank to the floor. Reacting quickly, Dudley put an arm around his mother's waist, and picked her up.

“I suppose you should come inside, then,” Dudley said, but groaned loudly when he saw his father's car turn into the driveway. “Bloody brilliant,” he muttered. “Of all the days to come home early... This is going to go super well.”

Minerva whispered a notice-me-not spell, and then, the three witches turned, and watched Vernon Dursley squeeze out of his car, with some difficulty. They barely managed suppress a snicker; Harry's description of his uncle as a human-walrus hybrid, seemed awfully accurate.

“What the devil's going on here?” The wheezing man growled as he waddled across the front lawn. “I've repeatedly told you freaks to stay away from us!”

Then he saw his wife, passed out in his son's arms. His face went even redder, if that was possible, and he seemed ready to charge them.

“What have you done to her, you demons!?”

“Dad! Shut up!” Dudley hissed.

The fat man wasn't listening, however. He stalked threateningly toward the three women, but Minerva met him half-way, her wand out, her lips thin as a sheet.

“Yer fixin' to 'ave a go at me, laddie?” she growled at him, in her thick, Scottish brogue, which was flowing freely now. “I dare ye! Do somethin'. Give me a reason, ye bloody _blaigeard_!”

By that time, Vernon had become so bloated, he looked like he was about to explode. “Now, see here! I will not have some little cun-”

Minerva's wand lit up. “I was a grown woman when ye were spat out of yer _máthair's_ mangled _bhánag_ , ye lavvy-heided wankstein!”

Minerva's wand had begun sparking, and Vernon's face lost all of its colour. “Now, shut yer geggie, and get into the house!”

In a rare showing of wits, Vernon did as he was told, and waddled into the house as quickly as he could, leaving the Headmistress behind, panting as she tried to regain her composure.

The Black sisters stood by, rooted on the doorstep, staring at their companion. After that display, one thing was for certain; neither of them would do anything to piss Minnie off. _Ever_.

“Are you alright, Minerva?” Andie, eventually dared ask.

“Aye, Andromeda. I've been wanting to give that man a piece of my mind for many years. Let's go in, then, and get this over with. I need a sip of Old Ogden's”

The three women filed into the house. They headed for the living room, where they assumed the family to have gathered, only to stop by the door. There, directly opposite, was the door to the _Cupboard_.

Narcissa walked over, and put a hand on the knob, but before she opened it, she gave her sister a glance. Andie grabbed a hold of Minerva's arm, and saw the older witch mustering her Occlumency, but it was a near thing.

Narcissa swung the door open, ready for some kind of horror show, but all she could see in there was that fuse box thing, brooms and mops. She pulled the string that lit the light bulb, but couldn't see anything in there that indicated Harry had been there.

Cissy, look,” Andie said, and pointed at the door. Narcissa eyed her sister, turned around, and she saw it. There, under the grate on the door, were two words written in green crayon. ' _Harry's Room'_. By the shape of the letters, he couldn't have been more than six years old when he'd written them. Well, they were not going to have a confrontation about the Dursley's treatment of Harry. This time. There _would_ be reckoning, however.

Once all three women had forced up their mental shields, they made their way into the living room, and found the Dursleys in there, in a bit of a shock. Petunia lay on the sofa, her son fanning her with yesterday's newspaper, while Vernon sat in his chair, staring at nothing.

Minerva waved her wand, and conjured another sofa, into which she and the others sat. Dudley helped his mother sit up, and then sat beside her, and held her hand.

“I suppose introductions are in order,” Narcissa began. “My name is Narcissa Black, this is my sister, Andromeda, and the current Headmistress of Hogwarts, Minerva McGonagall.”

Petunia didn't even acknowledge the words, and instead, stared at the picture of her sister, her husband, and nephew.

“When?” she asked simply, after a moment.

Narcissa took a deep breath. “Three days ago, Mrs. Dursley. Harry, along with our sister Bellatrix, Andromeda's daughter Nymphadora, and our friend, Fleur Delacour were killed in an explosion when they were studying an ancient tomb in Egypt.”

Petunia let out a heavy sob, and a tear ran down her cheek. She had thought she had prepared herself for the news, but it hit her like a lorry. That was it, then. Now, there was nothing left of Lily Evans on this earth.

“What the devil was the boy doing down there?” Vernon grumbled. “Raiding tombs eh? Treasure hunting. I always knew the freak would never amount to anything,” he finished with a sneer.

Before anyone could do anything, Dudley rolled up the newspaper, and smacked his father on the head with it, using some force.

“Shut up, dad,” he said, and turned to Narcissa. “It's a valid question, though. Why was Harry over there?”

The three witches shared a look, before Minerva cleared her throat, gave Walrus Vernon a killer look, and took the stage. “They were looking for something important. You may not know this, but there's a civil war raging, our side of the curtain. I'm sure you remember Voldemort, don't you, Petunia?”

Petunia nodded her accord. “Yes, of course. He murdered my sister. Not someone I'm likely to forget. He returned some time ago, didn't he? After Harry's fourth year at your school?”

“Yes, he did. In fact, he used Harry's blood in the ritual that gave him a body, once more,” Minerva informed them. “We have been fighting the war ever since. With Harry at the centre of it all.”

“But he was just a boy,” Petunia whispered, horrified.

“Voldemort doesn't care, Petunia. Harry was a threat to his plans, and he had to be removed. As fate would have it, Harry often managed to derail those plans,” Narcissa said with pride. “And never as much, as after he disappeared from his room, two years ago.”Dozens upon dozens of people owe their lives to Harry's efforts. The three of us, included.”

Narcissa shared a fond smile with the other two women, a smile that had Petunia tilting her head, with narrowed eyes. Surely not...

“Just what were you three to my nephew?” she asked, almost dreading the answer.

Narcissa smiled even wider. “We were his lovers, Mrs. Dursley. As was our sister, who perished with him.”

A stunned silence followed those words. While Petunia, and Vernon looked positively scandalized, Dudley simply couldn't believe that scrawny little Potter had bagged birds like these. And one more, who was probably just as beautiful.

“Well done, Harry,” Dudley muttered, then blushed heavily when the three women all turned to look at him with a raised brow.

“Well, we have to get going soon, but there's something we'd like to leave with you, Petunia, if you'll have it. Something to remember Harry by,” Andie said, and revealed a small, clay saucer.

The edges were carved with intricate runes, and there was a wispy, smoke like substance floating in it. Andie tapped a few of the runes with her wand, put it on the table, and slid it to Petunia.

“This is a memory saucer, Petunia, large enough to hold a part of a single memory of some length. I've put one in there, but before you view it, I'd like to bind it to your blood, so that only you, and your son can activate it. We wouldn't want any Muggles getting their hands on it. If you're willing, prick your finger, and let a drop of your blood fall onto the glowing rune.”

Without hesitation, Petunia grabbed a needle from her sewing kit she had on the coffee table, to use when her husband, and son were watching something on the tv, she didn't have any interest in, which was almost always. She did as Andromeda had instructed, and there was a tiny flash.

Andie nodded. “Good. Now, I want you to pick it up, and press these four runes in sequence. When you're done, please put the saucer on the floor, in front of the TV.”

Once Petunia had done that, an image was projected from the surface of the saucer. It was crystal clear, and Petunia almost felt as if she was in the room she was looking at, and she quickly realized they were looking at things from Ms. Black's perspective.

Her nephew was the main focus of the silent memory, but Petunia could scarcely believe her eyes. Harry was obviously very tall, and quite strongly built. A far cry from the skinny child that had liver here. She noticed the changes to his ears, and eyes, and she found them rather disturbing.

“Buggering hell!” Dudley exclaimed. “That's Harry? What happened to him?”

“I am afraid I cannot tell you that,” Andie told him. “Watch the memory.”

Harry was holding a large sword in his hands, turning it this way and that, examining its edges. He looked like he knew exactly what he was doing. Finally, he sheathed it, and sat down by the fire, burning in the hearth of the room.

He turned his head, and said something to a woman who had short, spiky hair, and the pair of them laughed heartily, and were obviously bantering back and forth. Ms. Black clearly shook her head at their antics, and let her eyes roam the room, and Dudley couldn't help but notice the apparent feminine energy in that place. The room was full of drop dead gorgeous chicks, and his cousin was the only bloke!

Petunia felt awful. She had recovered from the shock of learning her nephew had been involved with at least four women, and they were all clearly alright with it! And more than that, she had this sinking feeling they were all older than she was, even if they didn't look it. It was ghastly!

That wasn't what made her feel so horrible, however. It was seeing Harry so... Happy. Content. She felt a deep shame. Then, she saw who she assumed was the third Black sister – Bellatrix, approach her nephew, and his face lit up in brilliant smile, and it hit Petunia straight in the heart, as she'd never seen it before. The woman sat on his lap, and rested her head on his shoulder. Then the memory ended, and the saucer stopped glowing.

“That was the last time we saw Harry alive,” Narcissa said in tight voice. “If you prefer, we can extract a memory of your own, Mrs. Dursley, and put it in there, in place of this one.”

Petunia thought about it, but shook her head. “No, this one's fine. Harry was never happy here, and that's my fault. I've never seen him smile like that, and I'd like to remember him this way. Now, if you'd please leave. I think I need to go lie down.”

The three witches walked slowly away from the house, in silence. When they were almost out of Privet Drive, Andie stopped to look back, a look of doubt clouding her features.

“What we did just now was horrible. Not telling them we think Harry will return. It was cruel.”

“They deserve this, and more,” Minerva growled. “Sometimes, it's an eye for an eye.”

Narcissa smiled evilly at her sister. “I am a Black, as are you, sister dear, and we Blacks are cruel creatures by nature. I'd also very much like to be there when Harry goes to confront his aunt, when he's returned. I can just about imagine the look on her face when she opens the door.”

“Aye,” Minerva readily agreed, then suddenly turned to the left, and strode onward with a purpose.

“Where are you going, Minerva?” Narcissa asked.

“Arabella lives just around the corner, and her Floo is connected to my office. I'm going up to my quarters, and have myself a finger, or two of Old Ogden's. You're welcome to join me, if you wish.”

The sisters looked at each other, then set off after their friend. A bit of whiskey sounded just fine, right about then.

000000

The head of his wooden training axe resting on the boy's chest, Kurgan the orc stared down at Harry, who lay panting on the ground.

“Sloppy!” The orc grumbled, and pulled Harry to his feet. “You need to focus! Don't be so easily distracted. I saw you stealing glances at your friend with the rapier.”

“Well, I _am_ supposed to be training her, Kurgan,” Harry said, and wiped his brow.

“Mistress Sigrun is more than capable of showing her what to do. Besides, it looks to me like both your companions are doing just fine. If you don't apply yourself, they'll leave you behind soon,” the orc concluded.

Harry let his gaze wander over to both Fleur and Nym, and he could only agree with the large orc. Both women had taken to their weapons training like ducks to water, and had progressed immensely over the two days since they'd begun training. They were certainly doing much better than he had, back when Gryffindor had been training him.

Fleur had moved considerably further away from the target, and was getting used to having to angle up her bow, in order to hit her target, and Sigrun was exceedingly pleased with her prodigious improvement.

Nym, meanwhile, was also giving it her all, and was making impressive progress, according to Sigrun, who was indeed a very skillfull teacher. Patient, and knowledgeable.

Harry let his eyes linger a bit on the mistress of the house. He had to admit, that if someone ever wanted to make a Viking film, Sigrun would have to be their first casting choice. Tall, blonde hair in a long braid, and obviously quite strongly built.

“I'll do fine against any monster,” he said and turned his attention back to the orc. “What I lack is experience against other people who use martial weapons, Kurgan. Where I'm from, people don't fight with swords, bows and arrows. We use magic.”

“You're a mage?” Kurgan asked, surprised.

“We all are, and powerful,” Harry responded. “For some reason, only Bella can actually harness the energies required to wield magic over here, though.”

The orc shrugged, and charged Harry without warning, swinging his weapon in a horizontal arch. Harry had to reach quickly, in order to avoid being knocked unconscious. He ducked, and rolled forward, thrusting his own wooden weapon, aiming for his opponent's abdomen.

Kurgan was prepared for it, however, and sent his foot Harry's way, who let go of his training sword, and grabbed the orc's ankle.

Using his prodigious speed, and strength, Harry rose to his feet, and swung Kurgan in a half circle, and launched the large orc into a stack of hay, which promptly collapsed. The farm went completely quiet, and anyone in reach, stood and stared either at Harry, or the ruined haystack.

“Oi, Wonderboy!” Nym shouted at him, after a moment. “Try not to kill Kurgan, eh?”

The mighty orc scrambled out of the stack, grumbling and cursing. He rose to his feet, and eyed Harry balefully, before he leaned his head back, and let out a roaring burst of laughter. He made his way over to Harry, and clasped him on the shoulder.

“Quite a feat, whelp. Your Bellatrix told me you were strong, and she wasn't wrong.”

Harry shrugged. “I have my moments.”

At that moment, there came a shout from the front of the house, and the gathered people saw a pair of wagons approaching, and a small force of men. Harry let go of his training sword, and went to get his Silverite one, and buckled it on.

Nym, Fleur and Bella came over to Harry, armed with their weapons. They flanked him, and the four of them made their way over to the front of the house, with Sigrun, and Kurgan. Ivar, Kalas, and Asha joined them on the way.

“Who goes there?” someone called.

Before the newcomers could answer, Ivar greeted the driver, of the closer wagon, who was a dwarf, with a wave, and a friendly smile. “Markan! Good to see you, you cranky old dwarf!”

“No respect from the young'uns. Never changes,” the dwarf grumbled, and jumped down from the wagon.

Ivar merely laughed, and offered his hand for the dwarf to shake. “I see your brother isn't taking any chances, sending you here.”

The dwarf harummphed, and eyed Harry and the others carefully. “Don't fool yourself into thinking that miser actually cares about you lot. He's merely protecting his investment. Losing people is more expensive, than losing a few tons of rock, after all.”

Ivar shook his head, looking mildly offended. “Fargas won't ever change, that's for sure.”

“Well, you should know that by now,” the dwarf groused. “He was exactly the same, when we three would quest together, back in the day.”

Markan turned to Harry. “So, I hear we have you to thank for protecting our workers?”

Harry shook his head. “Not me. It was Fleur who did most of it. I just killed some guy called Boris.”

Markan tilted his head to Fleur, who was playing with the string of her bow.

“That wisp of a girl?” the dwarf growled. “I find that hard to believe!”

“Oi, stumpy!” Nym growled, and her hair turned a deep red. She marched up to the dwarf, and towered over him, which wasn't that hard, seeing as he was well under five feet. “Don't go disrespecting my friend, ya twit!”

Fleur walked up to Nym, and put a hand on her shoulder. “I can fight my own battles, _mon précieux ami_.”

Nym blushed, and her hair flashed between red, and blue. “I know that, babe. But he can't just...”

Fleur smiled. “Let me handle that _souche._ You might want to brace yourself, Nym.”

The dwarf puffed up, after hearing the exchange between the girls. “So now you're going to handle me, are you? Go on, then, give it a go,” he said mockingly, and grabbed a heavy looking hammer from the wagon.

Fleur turned a cold gaze upon the dwarf, and only meant to give him a talking to, but to the dwarf's horror, he noticed the girl's eyes slowly turn black. Unfortunately, none of Fleur's companions noticed it, at first.

Ivar wasn't too happy with how things were going, and gave Harry a look, who merely shrugged. “The idiot has it coming, Ivar.”

“You misunderstand, Harry,” Ivar said, and leaned in close. “It's not Markan I'm worried about,” he hissed. “It's Kurgan. He's an orc. They're not known for their...” Ivar then lost his train of thought, and almost robotically turned around to stare at Fleur.

Harry quickly scanned the area, and found every male was quickly becoming entranced. The effect on Kurgan was different, however. He pulled the axe on his back free from its harness, and spittle was dripping from his large tusks, and a sheen of sweat was covering his green skin.

Harry darted to Fleur, Sigrun ran toward the orc, to stand in front of him. The orc stopped, but didn't seem to recognize his employer, and readied his weapon.

“Fleur!” Harry shouted, grabbed Fleur, and turned her to him. _**She**_ smiled at him.

“Ah. My love,” she sighed, and latched onto his lips with her own.

Once the kiss ended, they pulled apart, and Fleur looked a little ashamed. “I'm sorry, Harry. I don't know what it is, but I'm finding it much more difficult to hold _**Her**_ back in this place.”

Harry touched his forehead to hers, and stroked her hair. “Don't worry, Fleur. We're here for you. You know that, right?”

“Of course, Harry,” she said in a grateful voice.

“So, that's what happened in the camp,” Asha said, and looked at Fleur with something akin to respect. “That's an interesting ability.”

Fleur ignored her, and turned to the dwarf, who was still holding his hammer tightly. “I apologize, Mr. Markan. I will endeavour to prevent that from happening again.”

"Well, I may have been wrong, girl," the dwarf said gruffly.

Markan put his weapon away, and approached Sigrun, who held Kurgan's axe in her hands. The orc was striding away on his long legs, toward the fields to join up with Magnus, and the other farm hands.

“Sigrun, I'd like to apologize for this little episode. Won't happen again,” Markan said.

The mistress was unimpressed. “Still as hot tempered as always, you idiot. How are you still living?”

“Sigrun, you wound me!”

“Nothing you didn't deserve, you pig.”

They stared at each other for a moment, before they both chuckled, and clasped arms.

“It's been too long, old friend,” Markan said, and received a nod from Sigrun.

“That it has. Now, I imagine you'll want to leave right away?”

“Aye, the carrier's going to be arriving any day now. Fargas will want to get his hands on the cargo, as soon as possible.”

000000

An hour, or so later, the group set out, and everyone was put onto the wagons. It was a tight fit, but they made do. Markan had informed everyone that they wouldn't be stopping, that extra horses had been brought along, so that they could rest them as needed.

Harry, along with his friends had been given place on the wagon carrying the rocks. It wasn't the softest of rides, but at least, they weren't walking.

“Harry?” Bella asked after a while.

“Yeah?”

“What are we going to do, if we can't find the way home?”

Harry felt their eyes on him, gleaming with intensity. Even Hedwig gave a low hoot, indicating her concern. Meanwhile, Bella and the others saw Harry's face harden, and his eyes showed an iron will.

“I'm going to find the way, Bella.”

Bella held back a wince. “Harry, what if-”

“We went through a Veil to get here,” Harry interrupted her. “There will be another one here, somewhere, that will take us back. I'm going to find it. Even if I have to spend my whole life looking for it, I _will_ return to them.”

Bella and the others watched Harry for a moment, before they all smiled at him. Of course he was going back home. And, knowing Harry's stubborn streak, he just might find the way.

“So we'll begin at Crossroad Keep,” Fleur said, and leaned against Harry, to take a little nap.

000000

The journey to West Harbour went by without incident, and a day and a half after they set out from Magnus' farm, they came upon the large town. It was situated in a narrow valley, and reached all the way across, into the hills on each side, making it impossible to see anything beyond it. A high wall, made of thick logs closed off the town, and the only way into it, was through a guarded gate.

“Morning, Gnaeus,” one of two guards said in a gravelly voice. “Where'd you dig up this lot?”

Markan gave the pair of them the stink eye, and threw them a small pouch with coins in it. “There were just the workers along in the caravan, Stefan.”

“Sure, alright,” the guard said, after he had carefully counted the gold. “Go right on through.”

The wagons eased into motion, again, leaving the gate behind. Harry looked around, and found West Harbour reminded him a lot of Hogsmeade, only on a larger scale. The houses were the same, and the streets were cobbled the same way. There were a lot of people moving about their business, humans, dwarves, and orcs. No elves, as far as Harry could tell.

The caravan stopped outside of a house Harry assumed was a hospital. One of Markan's men jumped off, and went inside. He came out again a moment later, followed by a few men and women, who proceeded with carrying Ivar's men inside.

“Well, everyone, I guess this is good bye, then,” Ivar said, and offered Harry and the others his hand.

“If I remember correctly,” he continued, after taking everyone's hand, “the _Phoenix_ should be in port at the moment, and I know the ship's route takes it by Crossroad Keep. I happen to know Eivör, the captain. If she gives you any fuss, tell her Ivar sent you. She owes me a couple of favours. Take care of yourselves, and may you find the way home, Harry.”

Harry smiled at the man. “Thank you, Ivar,” he said, and watched the man go into the hospital to be with his men.

“Well, the wharf is off that way,” Markan said, and pointed to a street that ran to the left. “I'm fairly certain your ship will be out of the harbour by now, mooring. She came in some time before I left to get you, so she'll be done with her business soon, if she isn't already. Eivör has a small office by the pier. You can't miss it.”

And with that, he urged the horses onward, and the wagon drove away. Harry and the others started making their way toward the waterfront, and soon found themselves at the pier. Harry stopped, and drew in a deep breath through his nose.

He loved the smell of the sea. There was something about it, but he couldn't for the life of him understand what it was. Harry quickly scanned the area, and noted the valley became a small fjord, that curved slightly to the west. That curve, along with the high mountains created an excellent natural harbour.

“I hope captain Eivör has some space left, for us, Harry. The ship that was supposed to take us to the Keep isn't here any more,” Kalas said, his voice laced with concern.

The group walked along the pier, and on their right hand side were low standing buildings, that in all honesty, were little more than shacks, or huts. Harry had to admit, what he was seeing wasn't exactly filling him with confidence. He unconsciously moved closer to Asha, his hand on his sword.

Outside every one of the ramshackle buildings, stood groups of dirty men, who mostly wore rags, although there was the occasional man who had on a long coat, and a hat. Most of them were armed with cutlasses, sabres or scimitars. A few had an axe slung over their shoulder. Eventually, they spotted a shack that was better off than the rest of them, but only just, and the sign above the open door, pictured a phoenix.

Harry approached the shack, and was intercepted by a large, dark man with a topknot, and a goatee. He wore baggy pants, a vest, and nothing more. Harry had to fight himself not to stare, because the man looked almost exactly like what he'd always imagined Sinbad the sailor would look like. Behind him, he heard Nym whimper in an attempt to stay quiet, no doubt having the same problem he was.

“What do you lot want?” the man asked, and eyed Harry and the girls carefully, noting their outfits, and weaponry. His eyes lingered on the elves for a moment, and a scowl formed on his face.

“Is captain Eivör available?” Harry asked.

“That depends. Who's asking?”

“My name's Harry, and this is Fleur, Bella, and Tonks. The elf beside me is called Kalas, and the young girl's Asha. We seek passage to Crossroad Keep.”

The man raised an eyebrow. “That so?”

“Yes,” Harry grumbled, not really in the mood for any dancing. “Ivar sent us here.”

The man's disposition changed immediately. “Gnaeus did, eh? How is the old dog?”

“Not bad. His men could be better, though. They were attacked by slavers, and many were injured.”

“Send him in, Vignir,” came a feminine voice from inside the shack.

“Aye, captain,” the large main responded, and stood aside. “You, the girl, and Kalas, was it? Go inside. The rest of you, stay out here.”

Harry, Kalas and Asha went inside, and were greeted with the smell of burning incense. It irritated Harry's sensitive nose, and he let out a massive sneeze almost as soon as he entered.

“I beg your pardon, boy. If I don't light those cursed things, the place reeks worse than an orc's scrotum after a week's march.”

Harry waved away the... _colourful_ apology. He blinked away the tears, and was able to focus on the woman. She appeared to be in her late forties, her black hair streaked with grey, and her face was set with shallow lines. She wore a royal blue coat, a white linen shirt, and tight, breeches she tucked into tall leather boots. And lastly,she wore a hat, and one of her grey eyes was covered with an eyepatch.

“So, you're looking for passage, boy?” She gave Harry a once over. His eyes, and Hedwig, who was perching on Harry's shoulder were of a particular interest.

“Yes. For me and my three companions, and fourteen elves.”

Her eye became frosty. “The _Phoenix_ does not carry slaves, boy.”

“We are not slaves,” Asha said indignantly. “Harry saved us from the slavers.”

“Did he now? A real defender of the downtrodden, eh?” the woman asked mockingly.

Harry fixed her with a hard glare. “I don't know about that, but I try to do the right thing.”

Eivör tapped her bottom lip a few times, deep in thought. “Hmmm. Well, Ivar wouldn't have sent you to me, if the thought you were scum. As it happens, I can take you on board, if you're willing to sleep in the hold. Some of the cargo I was supposed to take with me didn't make it, however, so it'll cost ya. I have to at least break even.”

“Right. How much?” Harry asked.

“Ten gold each, all in advance,” Eivör replied, without missing a beat.

Kalas sputtered at that. “That's outrageous! The ship we had chartered originally only charged four, and only half in advance.”

Eivör ignored Kalas, and kept her eye on Harry's. “That's my offer. Take it, or leave it. I'll warn you, though. No other ship will carry any elves.”

Harry pretended to think about it for a while, and eyed Asha for a bit, for good measure. “I'll pay two hundred and fifty. Asha shares your cabin, and we eat what you eat.”

Eivör stared at Harry for a moment longer, before she slammed her palm onto her desk, and let out a bark of laughter. She stood up, and shook Harry's hand vigorously.

“Not bad, boy! Not bad at all. You've got yourself a deal. Now, let's settle the account.”

Harry nodded, and reached into the Bag, and brought out his bursting coin purse, silently thanking his mentor for just how big it was, and that it had filled itself, before they landed in this strange world. The captain's eye nearly bugged out of her head when she saw all the money he was lugging along.

Harry began counting Galleons onto the table, and, but had only put a handful when Eivör stopped him suddenly. She picked up one of the coins, and examined it. “Wait, let me weigh this. Just how thick are these, anyway?”

She reached beneath the desk for a pair of scales. She put one coin onto the scale, and clicked her tongue in surprise. “Give me a hundred and eighty of your coins, and we'll call it even. I've never seen coins quite this heavy.”

Harry was honestly a little surprised, and it must have shown on his face, because captain Eivör frowned at him.

“Oh, come now. I'm overcharging you as it is. I'm not about to rip you off, too. Now, let's finish this. I'd like to cast off before sundown, and it'll take a while to bring all your people on board. Oh, and here's a free tip; don't let anyone see that money sack of yours. Not even my own crew. It would be smart to have a smaller one, on hand.”

Once the pair of them were done, Eivör wrote the transaction down in her log, and slammed it shut, and stormed out of the shack, the log under her arm.

“Get off your feet, you louts! We're heading out! Man the oars,” she roared, and strode down the stairs and onto the pier, the men following in her wake.

“I've secured us passage,” Harry said, and headed down the pier, after the captain, the others following behind him.

“How long is the journey?” Harry asked, as they marched toward the longboat.

“Two and a half, three weeks, given favourable winds. The currents are also good, this time of year.”

The large group of people filed into the two large boats, that were tied to the last two cleats at the end of the pier. Captain Eivör headed one boat, while Vignir took charge of the other one, and they set off. They were quickly out of the harbour, and able to actually see the _Phoenix_ for the first time.

Harry took a good long look at the ship. It wasn't like any ship he'd ever seen before. He had seen pictures of both Spanish Galleons, as well as ancient Greek triremes, and this ship looked almost like a hybrid of the two.

The hull was that of a galleon, however, there was no bowsprit. There was a bronze thing sticking out from the prow, similar to what you'd see on the triremes. Rather fittingly, above the ram, an elegant phoenix had been carved into the bow. It was clear where the ship got its name, at least.

At the stern, the ship rose a bit, in a slight curve, and Harry could see a few windows, and even a small balcony, facing backwards, above the large rudder.

The ship had two large masts, and four sails, that had been wrapped around the horizontal parts of the masts. Looking at the intricate network of ropes, and lines, almost gave Harry a headache. Rigging. That's what it was called, he thought. And they said television didn't teach you anything.

Once the boats had reached the ship's side, a pair of rope ladders with wooden rungs were cast over the side, and the passengers, and most of the rowers went aboard, the rest went and secured the vessels.

“Welcome aboard the _Phoenix_ , everyone,” Captain Eivör said, and grinned. “Treat her well, and she'll never do you wrong.”

She then made her way to the helm. “Weigh anchor, you lazy landlubbers! Ready the sails!”

Her shouting was greeted with a chorus of 'aye, aye, captain!' and the men set about their work with a smile, happy to be out at sea, once more. Slowly, the ship began moving, the sails bulging with the wind.

“Helmsman! Take the wheel. I need to show my guests to their quarters.”

The captain brought them below deck, and into the hold, where she pointed to a stack of neatly folded hammocks, and blankets. There were pegs all over the hold, to which they could fasten their bedding. The elves immediately set about making things ready, along with Harry's three companions.

Meanwhile, Harry accompanied Eivör and Asha to the captain's quarters, which were divided into two rooms; a dining room, which also served as a kind of office, and a bedroom. Harry found them quite satisfactory. While there was only one bed, it was large enough for both Asha, and Eivör.

“Are you alright with this, Asha?” Harry asked, before he headed out of the room.

The girl nodded. “Yes, it'll be fine, Harry. Now, I'm going to bed. Goodnight,” and with that, she closed the door.

“A fire in that one, eh?” Eivör remarked, as she and Harry walked over to her desk.

“Yes. She's surprisingly chipper, given that her mother was murdered before her eyes, a few days ago.”

The captains mouth turned into an ugly sneer. “Slavery. Disgusting practice, that's been going on for much too long. It's no wonder the elves are mobilizing for war.”

“Yeah. So it seems.”

Harry bade the captain good night, and made his way back to the hold, where he found that all had been made ready. He did notice that Bella and the others had not taken themselves a hammock, and instead turned a somewhat secluded area of the hold into a camp of sorts, where they had rolled out their bedrolls.

“Not comfortable with the hammocks?” Harry asked, and sat down on a bushel of... something.

“No, we're not, Harry,” Fleur said with a grin. “We cannot cuddle with you, in one of those.”

“Well, not that I'm complaining,” Harry said with a bemused smile, “but do you really think it's appropriate?”

Bella turned a frosty glare onto her lover. “I do not give a toss what's appropriate, Harry. The captain said this was a three week journey. I am not going that long without at least sleeping in the same bed as my beloved.”

“Yeah!” Nym confirmed, her hair turning pink. “Me neither.”

Even Hedwig hooted affirmatively, which caused all four humans to laugh at her antics. The beautiful owl glared at them reproachfully, and flew up on top of some boxes, and went to sleep.

“Well, it's been a long day. I'm quite ready to lie down,” Harry said, and began taking off his armour, which the three women did, as well.

000000

Harry lay awake in the hold, simply enjoying the motion of the ship, and listening the the creaking of the hull. None of the girls were down there, and only a couple of the elves were sleeping. He got up from the bedroll, and put on his boots, and buckled on the sword, as well.

Harry emerged from the hold, and onto the deck, and found it was well past breakfast. He looked around the deck, and saw Eivör at the helm, and his three girls by the midship railing. Two of them looked a bit green in the face, while Nym was looking decidedly fresh.

“Seasick?” Harry asked, as he made his way over to them.

“ _Oui_ ,” Harry, Fleur confirmed, and took a deep breath, then half leaned over the railing.

“Please remind me never to go on a boat, again, Harry,” Bella moaned, and slid down, to sit on the deck, her back to the railing.

“Oh, quit your whining, you two,” Nym said, and twirled her rapier around. “You'll be fine!”

Harry looked at Nym with an amused expression, which contrasted quite well with Bella's murderous one.

“You're not feeling it?” he asked, and unsheathed his sword, and slowly engaged Nym, who met his blade with care.

“Nope!” she said with a grin. “Never been seasick, or carsick, or anything, in my life.” Harry let up, and she went on the attack, just as slowly as Harry had. “Perks of being a Metamorphmagus, I suppose.”

“Right,” Harry said, and blocked a low thrust. “You just play with your ears.”

“Yep,” Nym confirmed with a smile. “Steady as a rock. You seem fine, too.”

“Yeah, I'm fine,” Harry said, and sidestepped yet another attack.

“Lucky bastards,” Bella growled as she rose, and bent over the railing.

“Those are some pretty weapons, you have there,” captain Eivör said, and approached Harry and Nym.

“They are,” Harry agreed, and motioned for Nym to stop, and handed the captain his sword.

Eivör examined the sword carefully, almost reverently, in fact. “Exquisite! Who made this? If you don't mind my asking.”

Harry shrugged. “No idea. My mentor gave both of these to me, when I was studying under him.”

“A fine gift,” Eivör said, and handed Harry the sword again.

“Could I ask you a question, captain?”

“Aye.”

“Where are the cannons?”

Captain Eivör simply looked at him. “The what?”

“Cannons? Weapons.”

An understanding dawned on the captain. “Ah, you mean the ballistae.”

“Sure,” Harry said, and gave Nym a glance. She just shrugged. She didn't know about old stuff like that.

“They're kept below decks, Harry, in special compartments. One, above my quarters, below the poop deck, and the other inside the forecastle. Come, I'll show you.”

Harry, and Nym followed her to the front of the ship. Eivör opened a door that led into the forecastle, and inside, Harry saw a largish ballista, along with a large stack of wooden, steel tipped missiles. The ballista was sitting on a low platform, and looked extremely well maintained.

“See that pulley over there?” Eivör asked, and pointed to a large pulley that was attached to a sturdy boom, of the main mast. “If we're attacked, my gunners release a weight, which opens the deck above, and raises the ballista. The platform can rotate in a full circle. The same with the aft one. It offers almost complete coverage.”

Harry nodded along. “Impressive. The keel has to be quite deep and heavy, then.”

Eivör inclined her head in accord. “Aye. She's a bit heavier than other ships of similar size, that have a fixed weaponry, but it's worth the extra protection. The men can turn the ballistae faster than we can manoeuvre the ship.”

“Right. I'd agree,” Harry said, and went back to training Nym.

000000

And so the days went by, and Harry spent them mostly training Nym, and giving Fleur whatever help he could with the bow, once the Veela had found her sea legs. He couldn't teach her too much, however, since they couldn't exactly shoot any targets.

He taught her how to restring the bow, and how to take care of both the string, and the arrows. He even showed her how to fletch her arrows. Meanwhile, Bellatrix kept poring over the book on staff wielding. It was quite good, and she was learning more and more.

“How goes it, Bella?” Harry asked one day, after about a week of sailing.

Bella looked up, and smiled at him. “Fine, Harry. I've learned many spells, and I've gotten the hang of most of the motions.”

“I've been meaning to ask, how different is it for you to do magic here, compared to back home?” Harry asked, and sat down next to her.

Bella was silent for a moment, before she answered. “It feels... _forced_ , somehow. Kind of like having a Butterbeer with a bottle and a straw, as opposed to a mug. And that's not all.”

“Oh?”

“You remember I couldn't heal you with spells?”

“Yeah, I do.”

“Well, it's the same with so many things we took for granted back home. I can't _Accio_ things to me, it simply doesn't work. I can float them to me, however,” she said, and grabbed the staff just below the crystal, and pointed it toward one of Fleur's arrows. It floated to her slowly, and she grabbed it with her left hand. She put the arrow down, and closed her eyes in concentration, and suddenly, the staff gave off an orange glow, and a small flame appeared in her left palm.

“I can either make a small flame like that, or a ball I can throw at my target. Or, I can focus my energies on an area, and crate a massive firebomb.”

Bella frowned. “It's just all so different, Harry. I have to reach out and grab my magic. I must always concentrate on maintaining a hold of it, lest I drop it, and then I have to find it again.”

Harry put an arm around her, and pulled her to him. “You'll get the hang of it in no time, Bella. I know you will.”

Bella smiled at him, and gave him a kiss. “Thank you, Harry.”

Harry meant to sit there with Bella for a while, but Hedwig gave an alarmed hoot as she cam flying in, and landed on the railing of one of the crow's nests. Harry looked up, and found his familiar staring at him. He unbuckled his sword, and gave it to Bella, before he ran up the ratlines, hands free.

Barely a moment later, he had ascended the ropes, and climbed into the nest, and Hedwig jumped onto his shoulder. “What is it, girl?”

Then Harry caught a whiff of something, and he sniffed the air more carefully. Something was burning. He quickly scanned the horizon, and spotted smoke, far to the east. He trained his eyes in the direction of the smoke, and saw some debris in the sea.

“Captain! There's a burning ship, to the east!”

Captain Eivör went into her cabin, and retrieved her spyglass, and joined Harry in the crow's nest. She pulled the spyglass apart, before bringing it to her eye.

“I see it! Helmsman, head due east! Prepare for possible hostile engagement!” she yelled, and the deck exploded with activity. Her gunners released the ballistae, and had them loaded amazingly fast.

The captain watched it all happen, and made a sound of approval. She was about to climb down, when she suddenly stopped, and looked Harry in the eyes. “How the hell did you see that? We would have sailed right by it.”

“Well, first Hedwig caught my attention. Then I smelled the smoke, and _then_ I saw it.”

She stared at him for a moment, then shook her head. They could talk about it later. “You ready to fight, if we have to?”

Harry nodded gravely. “Yes. Don't worry.”

Harry fallowed her down, and approached Bella and the others. “You ready, if something happens?”

“Yes,” they all told him.

“Good. I expect the captain will put out one of the boats, and I'm going to be on it. Bella, would you be willing to go, as well?”

Bella smiled at her lover, very happy that he was bringing at least one of them along. “Of course.”

000000

Harry climbed down the rope ladder, and jumped onto the boat. He helped Bellatrix onboard, then pushed away from the _Phoenix_ and away they went. The ten rowers took to their task with gusto, desperate to get to the wreckage. There might be men still living among the debris, and no self-respecting seaman left another in the sea. Not even an enemy.

Harry, and Vignir stood in the prow, scanning the area. Most of the ship had sunk by the time they got to it, and it soon became apparent there were no survivors, going by how many bodies were floating in the ocean, and it was red with blood.

“What happened here?” Bella asked, as she surveyed their surroundings.

Vignir shook his head in an angry way. “Pirates. Slavers, probably.”

Harry spotted a large piece of debris some ways off. “Over there!”

They immediately set off towards it, and discovered there was indeed a man lying on top of a door, that was floating there. The captain, judging by his clothing. He was dead, but he'd obviously been tortured, and a symbol of some kind carved into his forehead.

“Bjarni, captain of the _Siren_ ,” Vignir supplied with a frown. He turned his eyes onto Harry.

“I'm not sure, since we never bothered to ask what ship your elven friends had chartered, but I'd wager a month's pay it was the _Siren_.”

“You recognize the symbol on his forehead?” Harry asked, and reached for captain Bjarni, but as soon as he touched the corpse, a familiar, white hot pain shot through his scar, and he almost fell over board, but Vignir caught him.

Harry felt as if his head was splitting open, and a vision began playing in his mind, of the massacre that had taken place. The _Dreadnought,_ the ship that had attacked the _Siren,_ was huge. Much larger than the the _Phoenix_ , even, and better equipped. The _Siren_ had never stood a chance.

The pirates had taken their time with their prey, slowly whittling away at them, until there was nothing left. Harry noted they had a mage on board, who had set the sails on fire, preventing escape. Then, they had slowly set the ship on fire, and forced the people on board the _Siren_ to abandon ship, to put down the boats.

Instead of bringing them aboard their vessel, in accordance with an ancient, unspoken rule among sailors, they had murdered all of the people in the boats, then gone and forcibly removed the captain from his cabin, denying him the honour of going down with his ship. Then they had gone to work on him. And thus, the vision ended.

“Harry!” Bella called out, desperately, cradling his head in her lap. “Come back to me, my love. Wake up!”

Harry slowly came to, and felt Bella wipe his forehead, and he could smell the blood. He sat up groggily, and grabbed the side of the boat to steady himself.

“What the hell was that?” Vignir asked, and stared at the two of them. “Why is your forehead bleeding, boy?”

“It's nothing, I'm fine,” Harry insisted, and scrambled up onto the nearest thwart, and sat on it.

“Don't lie, boy,” Vignir growled at him.

Ignoring the question, Harry rubbed his eyes tiredly. “They were attacked by the _Dreadnought_ , Vignir. Know it?”

There was a stunned silence, and Harry could practically feel the fear radiating from the crewmen. Vignir's jaw set and the veins in his neck bulged, as he fought to control his emotions.

“Aye, we know it. Adalsteinn, the most brutal and merciless man to ever sail the seas, captains her. He never leaves any survivors. We need to-”

Before Vignir got any further, the longboat from the _Siren_ bumped into theirs, but there was only half of it. The rest was missing, and it honestly looked like it had been bitten off by something very large.

“Men, get us back to the ship! Quickly!” Vignir shouted.

The men immediately began to row, while Vignir kept his eyes on the ocean, obviously looking for something.

“What has you so scared, Vignir?” Harry asked. “It's not like the _Dreadnought_ can sneak up on us. We would always see them coming. Makes you wonder just where the hell he is,” Harry murmured to himself, at the end.

“That's not it, Harry. Legend has it, some kind of beast, or monster follows his ship around, and feasts on the bodies they leave in their wake.”

Harry and Bellatrix rose to their feet, and Harry unsheathed his sword, and he could hear Bella mumbling something under her breath.

Then Harry spotted it. A strange looking fin emerged from the deep, about a hundred yards away from the boat, and judging from its size, whatever was chasing them was massive.

“It's coming behind us!” Harry yelled, and was about to run to the aft, but Bella stopped him.

“Wait! It's going to raise its head from the sea, and when it does, I'll hit it.”

Harry simply nodded, and the sailors redoubled their efforts to get to the ship. Eventually, the monster had gained enough on them to attack, and, just as Bella had predicted, it reared up from the sea, its mouth open.

The animal was absolutely massive, and Harry thought it had to be a hybrid of a shark and a crocodile, despite such a thing being impossible. The upper portion of its head was indeed that of a crocodile. In fact, it was all crocodile all the way to its fin, which was clearly bone, and not cartilage.

That was about as far as Harry got, before the thing opened its mouth to swallow them whole. He had to admit, it probably could, seeing how its lower jaw suddenly split in two, and the opening became even larger.

Before they became fishfood, however, Bella thrust her staff forward. The runes on the staff flashed, and some kind of red magic missile burst forth from her staff. It hit the beast right in its mouth, and did enough damage, that the monster retreated. For now. None of them were foolish enough, to believe this was over.

Once they reached the ship, they quickly climbed into the ship, and took up their positions, and Vignir went and debriefed captain Eivör. Someone handed Harry a bow and a quiver full of arrows, which Harry, despite knowing the futility of using such weapons against a being like the one they were facing, accepted. Perhaps he'd hit an eye.

“What the bloody hell was that thing, Harry!?” Nym exclaimed as she and Fleur came rushing to them, their weapons at the ready.

“How the hell should I know? Jaws' bigger sister?”

Despite herself, Nym laughed. Then she looked at the bow in her hand. “You think these will do anything?”

“Nope,” Harry admitted to her, and looked over to Bella, who was, once again mumbling to herself. “I'll put my money on Bella, and the ballistae.”

“Do you think they're fast enough,” Fleur asked, and played with the fletchings on the arrow she had resting on the string.

“I don't know,” Harry replied, his eyes never leaving the surface of the water. Then Hedwig hooted in alarm from the crow's nest, and took off to the south.

“It's coming in from the south!” Harry shouted, and moved up to the forecastle, with Bella right behind him.

“You going to shock it?” he asked Bella, who had a small patch of lightning in her palm.

“Yes. Water and lightning go so well together,” she answered with a feral grin.

“Alright,” Harry said, and turned to the three gunners. “Ok. You two! Wait until Bella has shocked that thing, then release the missile.”

The three men ignored Harry, and looked at their captain.

“Do as he says!” she shouted from the helm. “I'm delegating the deck to Harry for the duration of this battle!”

After a chorus of 'Aye!, Aye!” the men prepared for the assault.

“It'll hit us mid-ship!” Vignir roared from the aft crow's nest, and everyone reacted accordingly.

Before it hit, Bella released her lightning bolt, and Harry could see the beast shaking, and then both ballistae released their missiles, but only one of them hit, and barely did any damage, and the hail of arrows could just as easily have been a hail of small rocks, but the beast did retreat, once again.

“Hmmm...” Harry rumbled deep in his throat. “Fuck!”

He glanced up, and saw Hedwig had, once again, taken her position on the crow's nest. Harry threw away the bow and quiver, and raced up the ratlines, to join his friend. He scanned the sea, and he could finally see the beast. It was unbelievably big, and he just knew if it hit the ship, it would break. And if it leaped from the sea and onto the deck, that was it.

Harry stared at the blade in his hand for a long time. He knew it was sharp, and durable enough to pierce the skin of the monster, especially if he got beneath it. Fingering his neck, he took a deep breath, and removed his shirt, boots, sheath and socks.

He then cut loose a long thin rope, that was used to hoist the flag on the main mast. He tied one end around the pommel of his sword, and the other to his wrist; he was not going to lose it.

Hedwig stared at him. “ _Is this wise?_ ”

“No. It might be the dumbest thing I've done, so far. I just don't see any other way, Hedwig. There are well over a hundred people on this boat. I refuse to let them die.”

“ _They'll be upset with you_ ,” a helpful Hedwig informed him with playful edge in her 'voice', but she was in truth, very worried.

Harry chuckled. “When aren't they?” His eyes turned a little sombre, then. “Well, they've reason to be.”

Harry looked at her pensively for a moment. “One of these days we're going to have to talk about this new ability of ours, don't you think?”

“ _Yes, I suppose we should,_ ” Hedwig said, and ruffled her feathers.

Harry smiled at his friend, and stepped onto the circular railing. He noticed his three lovers staring up at him, and saw Nym stomp her foot onto the deck.

“Harry! No!”

“Harry, don't be stupid!” Fleur screamed at him.

Bella simply put her face in her palm. “It's no use,” she groaned. “Once he's made up his mind, we're not going to change it.”

Harry dived off, his sword held securely in his hand. He broke the surface of the water, and sank deep down, before he stopped. He soon felt the need to draw breath, but couldn't, of course. His chest felt as if it was about to burst, when a searing pain tore through the sides of his neck, followed by the euphoric sensation of oxygen entering his blood stream.

That wasn't the only change, though. His eyes could suddenly see with perfect clarity in the water. His hands, and feet looked strikingly similar to the way they had looked while he had been under the influence of the Gillyweed, as well; thick skin had grown between his fingers and toes.

Harry quickly swam away from the ship, and he could definitely see the monster some ways off, still circling the vessel. He finally saw the rest of it, and for the most part, it was a simple shark, if impossibly large. It had a single set of five gills on each side, protected, in part by three sharp horns that grew backwards on its head.

After a while in the water, Harry knew he had to somehow divert its attention from the ship, and so he made a deep cut into his arm, and the blood flowed.

He swam slowly away from the ship, and grinned when he saw the beast slow down, and obviously take note of the smell of fresh blood in the water. It changed direction, and swam towards him quickly.

Thinking _this_ had to be the dumbest thing he'd done so far in his life, Harry swam _toward_ the animal, his sword at the ready. They came together, and Harry quickly angled to the side, took a quick swipe with his sword, and did indeed cut the beast deep enough to draw blood.

He heard, and felt the vibrations in the water, as the monster let out a bellow. It turned to face him again, with alarming speed, and agility. Harry wasn't outdone, however, the spirit of whatever animal Merlin, and Gryffindor had mixed into the potion eclipsing his own instincts.

And so, Harry moved with the grace, and efficiency of a resident of the sea. Again, the large animal approached, and once more, Harry came away victorious. Unfortunately, he had not been able to deal a decisive hit on his opponent, and he came to conclusion that he needed to become the hunter.

Harry shot into motion, and ambushed the large shark/crocodile thing, as soon as it came out of the turn, and stuck his sword into its side. However, the sword had somehow become stuck, and Harry couldn't get it free.

The beast howled, and swam away from the _Phoenix_ , towards the _Siren_ , but Harry held fast. He had a feeling Sharky wasn't much in the mood for hunting any more. Too bad for it, that Harry Potter had tasted blood, and given in to his baser instincts, and was under no circumstances about to let it escape.

Ha yanked, and pulled, pushed, and shook, and finally, the sword came loose, just as the beast came upon the debris filled waters where the _Siren_ had met her end. The sea wasn't that deep, and the animal had obviously meant to get rid of the thing in its side by slamming into the wreck, resting on the bottom.

Harry pushed off Sharky as it hit the large wreck, and was momentarily stunned, an opening Harry did not intend to let slip by. He swam as fast as he could, and found his way underneath the beast. He thrust his sword into Sharky's cloaca, and using the ocean floor as leverage, sliced the beast open, a cut that was almost five feet long. It was rather messy, when its innards spilled into the ocean.

Sharky thrashed about wildly, looking for its attacker, but soon started weakening, until it finally bled out, and sank to the bottom. Harry warily approached the beast, and prodded it with his sword, but it didn't move. He put his ear to its body, and its heart was indeed still. Making his way to its front, Harry discovered Sharky's mouth was partly open, and he was a bit fascinated with the fact that it had crocodile teeth in its upper gum, and shark teeth in that strange lower jaw.

Wanting a little souvenir from this battle, Harry brought his blade, and removed two teeth, one of each. Once that was done, he began the long swim back towards the _Phoenix_.

One question kept hunting him on the way back, however; was Bellatrix truly more dangerous than Sharky, or was it just all in his head?

000000

Harry surfaced at the ship's starboard side. He threw the teeth up onto the deck, and quickly climbed the rope ladder. He stumbled onto the deck, and rolled onto his back, his arms resting above his head. He closed his eyes, and felt the gills close up, and he took a sudden and very deep breath, as his normal body functions kicked in, once more.

_Merlin_ , was he tired. He felt several people approach. Ignoring them for a moment, he simply lay there, very happy to have accomplished what he'd set out to do. Then Hedwig landed by his head, and bumped her head into his affectionately.

“Well?” Nym asked.

Harry cracked one eye open, and saw Bella, Fleur and Nym standing, looking down on him with very concerned looks. They weren't alone, however, as captain Eivör, Kalas, Asha, and Vignir were all staring at him.

Not bothering to sit up, Harry put his hands behind his head, and took a deep breath. “Sharky won't be bothering anyone again, I can tell you that much.”

“Is that so?” Eivör asked, her tone disbelieving.

“Yeah,” Harry responded. “Look at those teeth. I cut them loose, after I killed it. It's lying by the wreck of the _Siren_ , fittingly enough.”

Finally, Harry scrambled to his feet, and noticed almost everyone, aside from his three lovers was a bit apprehensive.

“What's with them?” Harry asked, and jerked with his thumb in their direction.

Bellatrix sighed. “Harry, you've been in the water for almost forty minutes.”

“Ah. Right,” Harry said with a sheepish grin, and turned to the crew. “Gills,” he said, and pointed to his neck. “Rather neat, don't you think?”

“What in the nine hells are you?” Vignir asked in a strange voice.

“Human. Well, I was anyway.”

“Alright, Harry, let's go,” Bella said, and grabbed his arm, and led him towards the hold, with Nym, Fleur, and Hedwig following.

Once there, Nym proceeded with cleaning his wound, and bandaging it. After she was finished with that, she kissed Harry passionately, and Fleur did the same, before they excused themselves for a bit, so that Bella could clean him.

“I can do this myself, you know,” Harry informed his lover, who simply kissed his shoulder.

“I know, but I like doing it. I like running my hands all over your body. It's soothing.”

She was done rather quickly, and Harry got dressed again, and the other two came into the hold again. They led their lover to their 'camp', took the bedrolls, and moved them all together. Then, they lay down with Harry in the middle. Fleur cuddled into his right side, Nym into his left, and Bella used his body as a mattress, and rested her head on his chest. Harry found it rather strange. They were being entirely too nice.

“Harry, what happened in the boat earlier?” Bella asked, and stared him in the eye.

Harry took a deep breath, managing to fight down the slight panic that threatened to break forth. He had honestly forgotten it, in all this mess.

“I felt _him_ , Bella.”

His lovers froze, and Nym, and Fleur stared at him, as well. “What?” they all asked at once.

Harry was silent for a long while, as he turned everything he knew about Horcruxes this way and that, in his head. Eventually, he landed on a theory. It was a bleak, hopeless conclusion to his thoughts, but it was the only thing he could think of.

“I think I may not actually have destroyed the Horcruxes in the Locket, Cup, and the Diadem. I think I merely sent them here, somehow. And I think one of them may have possessed the captain of the _Dreadnought._ ”

“You think you failed to destroy them, because they weren't in a living being? That the only way to effectively destroy Horcruxes is to do it the way Hermione suggested?” Bella asked.

Nym's face warped in distaste. “Have them possess someone,” she mumbled in apparent disgust.

“Yes, that's it,” Harry said, and shivered. “I have no idea how they arrived here, but we're going to have to find them, before we can leave.”

“Well, shit,” Nym cursed, and laid her head back onto his arm. “I'm not talking any more about this now. I just want to cuddle with my boyfriend,” she said happily, which made them all laugh.

After that, there was a long silence, which Harry eventually broke. “So, no big lecture, on how reckless I was?”

Nym burrowed slightly further into her lover. “Harry, as much as we hated seeing you go, what you did was the best way to kill that thing. You managed to draw it away from the ship, which meant less danger to all of us...”

Fleur picked up the thread. “You may not think of yourself as a hero, Harry, but you are. Selfless, and brave.” She smiled at him, and stole a kiss. “It's who you are, and we've decided not to be bothered by your need to put yourself in harm's way for others. All we ask is that you allow us to return the favour, when we can.”

Hero? Him? Hardly. Their request was very reasonable, however. “I will.”

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In the time after Sharky, Harry and the others regularly sat down with captain Eivör, Kalas, and Asha, in Eivör's cabin. Harry, Bella, Fleur and Nym would inquire about this world of theirs, and they had learned quite a bit. According to legend, no race originated in this world; all of them simply appeared over the centuries, one after the other. Beginning with the elves, or the dwarves, depending on who you were speaking to. All the races agreed that Man, and Orc appeared after the elves, and dwarves.

“So, the elves were the first ones to arrive, and settled the world?” Fleur asked Kalas.

“Yes. Mostly in the west, where we supposedly first appeared. Far north of where you met us, Harry. In time, we began expanding the empire, and it spanned almost the whole of the western continent. Then we began exploring the sea and discovered the eastern continent.”

“The dwarves appeared in the east, then?” Harry asked with interest.

“Yes, they did,” Asha confirmed. “When we came upon them, we recognized their superior craftmanship at once, and established trade with them.”

“It was very beneficial to both races, and ushered in what is generally considered to be the golden age of both dwarf, and elf. It lasted for many centuries,” Kalas said with pride.

His joy was short-lived, however. “Then the Orcs came charging out of the frozen north, and for the first time in many, many generations, we knew war. A long, brutish war, that lasted for ten years.”

Harry leaned back in the chair, and listened to his new friends tell him of the history of this world. According to Eivör, the world was divided into three main continents, simply called the north,east, and western continents. The south, however, was a massive expanse of ocean, with many, many islands, and archipelagos strewn about, some uninhabited, and some not.

“And finally, a generation, or two since the end of the Orc Wars, Man arrived, and the world became a rather ugly place, ” Eivör said with scorn.

“So where did Man appear?” Nym asked.

“Everywhere, Miss Tonks,” Kalas told her. “In the beginning, they created small, isolated communities, that slowly expanded. Then began the skirmishes. Arguments over land, as well as resources, became commonplace. Soon after, small wars were breaking out, all over the east, and west.”

“The elven empire began its decline around that time,” Asha informed them. “We couldn't keep pace with the humans. They bred to quickly, and their migrations were swift. They were too quick to adapt to any new environment, and eventually, we had to retreat. Thousands of elves were displaced, particularly in the east, though the problem persisted in the west, albeit at a smaller scale. It's been a mess ever since.”

“Well, let's hope this summit of yours proves successful,” Eivör grumbled. “This constant fighting is bad for business.”

“Is it?” Harry asked the room, and his eyes found Kalas. “Some people make a very good living off war. At least where my friends and I come from. Someone is clearly benefiting from the chaos, and seems more than keen on maintaining it. Slavers, I should think. And those who transport slaves.”

“Well, yes,” Eivör conceded.

“You've not found any evidence as to who might be involved?” Nym asked. “After all this time?”

“No,” Kalas said. "They're extremely careful, whoever they are."

Before they got any further, Vignir knocked on the door, and entered. “We've spotted land, captain.”

“Very good.”

The group left the cabin, and Harry joined Eivör at the helm. “What can you tell me about Crossroad Keep?”

“The Keep was built on the island of Thule. The island is almost exactly in the middle between the east, and west continents. It's considered neutral ground, and all, and any armed conflicts are strictly forbidden on the island.”

“And I assume everyone follows this rule?” Harry asked.

“Yes, they do. The original inhabitants of the island, the Celestials are very keen warriors, and no one wants to make them angry,” Eivör replied.

Harry felt Hedwig stiffen for a second on his shoulder, but didn't think anything of it. “Celestials?”

“A race of avian humanoids. Some say they are the descendants, or children of the ancient gods,” Eivör said with a frown. “A load of bollocks, you ask me. Gods, pff...”

“You do not believe in the gods, captain Eivör?” Asha asked, as she came upon the pair.

“No, I do not, young lady,” Eivör replied with some force. “Nothing I've seen in my fifty years of living, has led me to believe there are some kind of divine beings looking out for us. And if they are, they're doing a piss-poor job of it. If any one of my deckhands ever showed such incompetence, I'd throw them overboard.”

Asha looked slightly affronted, but before she could say anything, Harry put a hand on her shoulder. “What can you tell me more about the island?”

The captain took a calming breath, and kept her eyes on the horizon. “The Celestials live in the mountainous region of the north-west. The highlands are mostly uninhabited, aside from a few groups of orcs, who mine the region, for precious metals. Along the southern coast, and parts of the northern areas, you'll find many manor houses, villas, and large farms. The dwarves stick to the Keep, for the most part, while there are some sizeable communities of elves humans, and orc, scattered around the edges of the island.”

Harry nodded. “And the Keep itself?”

“Well, it's become more of a city, but the keep is still there, of course. It was built into a mountain, overlooking a large bay in the south-west part of Thule, and the city grew from there. It's divided into four main quarters, each main race controlling one. Each one also has its own small harbour.”

“Ah, yes,” Asha said suddenly. “I think it might be prudent, with things being what they are, to put my people, and me on shore at the elven quarter. Tensions are high, and it should make things less interesting.”

Again, Harry nodded. Boring sounded just fine to him...

000000

The _Phoenix_ pulled up against the pier, and the crew secured her. Once that was done, the elves made their way down the gangplank. Harry accompanied them. Soon, however, a large group of guards in very decorated armour, came marching their way.

“Halt!” An officer came stomping forward. “Kalas?”

Kalas nodded in a strained greeting. “Kiril.”

Harry got the distinct impression that Kalas did not like the newcomer, whose eyes roamed over the group, his manner imperious. “Alright, you lot. Come along.”

He pointed at Harry, who's ears were hidden by his cap. “Your kind is not welcome here. I suggest you leave.”

“No, I don't think I'm going to do that,” Harry responded nonchalantly. “I told them I'd see them safely to their destination, and that's what I'll do.”

“Why, you-”

“ _Kiril!”_

The man stopped immediately, and turned around, only to find a woman, accompanied by a pair of guards, approaching. Kiril bowed deeply, and stepped to the side.

“Milady Shana.”

Asha leapt toward the newcomer, and into her arms. “Shana!”

The pair of them hugged for a long while, before they broke apart, and Shana turned toward Harry. “And who might you be, young man?”

“He's Harry from London,” Asha informed her aunt happily. “He's been keeping me safe.”

Shana's eyes turned pensive. “Has he now? How kind of him. Well, let us make our way to the ambassador's manor, and then you can clean yourselves. I thank you for your service, Harry, but as you can see, I have everything under control.”

Harry just smiled. “I'm a man of my word, and I'd prefer to see it done, mistress Shana.”

Shana eyed Harry for a long while, before she simply turned on her heel, and marched onwards. Asha let her aunt go, and stayed with Harry, despite protests from the guards.

“They don't seem too happy, Asha,” Harry mumbled. “Perhaps you should walk by your aunt.”

“No, I don't think so,” Asha said firmly. “We may never see each other again, and I'd like to spend as much time with you as I can.”

Taken slightly aback, Harry recovered, and gave the young girl a smile. “Well, we've had a decent time, all things considered.”

“Yes,” Ahsha said, and nodded happily.

Finally, they arrived at the gates of the manor, and Harry took a moment to admire the architecture. It looked very Japanese to him. The house was made out of intricately carved wood, and the eaves curved upward. The walls surrounding the estate were capped in similar fashion, and Harry thought he could hear the telltale sound of a _sozu_ tipping over.

“Well, I guess this is it, then,” Harry said, and smiled at Asha. “Are you going to be alright?”

The girl nodded, before throwing her arms around him. “Of course. Thank you, Harry. For everything.”

Harry scratched the back of his head. “It was nothing, really.”

Kalas shook his head, and clasped Harry's arm. “Fleur said you had a tendency to deflect praise. It's alright to have a little pride in yourself, Harry.”

“Yeah. Well, see you around, everyone.” And with that, he was gone.

Asha watched him go. “Shana, have one of your Shadows keep an eye on him. I want to know everything there is to know about that boy.”

She started gnawing at her bottom lip, her eyes heavy lidded. “He'd make for an amazing king, wouldn't he, Kalas? He'd give me such strong children. We'd have to practice quite a bit, before that, though.” She shuddered in desire.

Kalas eyed Harry, who just then disappeared around a bend in the street. Then he turned a pained look onto Asha. “Could you please step out of your disguise, milady? I'm extremely uncomfortable having such a discussion with you, when you're looking like that.”

Asha gave him a mock pout. “Oh, alright, Kalas. I suppose I see your point.”

The young girl unsheathed a small, wickedly sharp knife, and cut into her upper arm, and removed a small tube that was covered in runes. As soon as she had done that, there was a blinding flash. She let out a gasp, and instead of a little girl, a woman of absolutely breathtaking beauty was standing in her place. She was as dark as her brethren, but her eyes were rather unique, seeing as they were blue, instead of red.

Every person in the vicinity got down on one knee, except Shana, who draped her cloak over her sister, Queen Shala.

“You always were one for dramatic entrances, sister,” the ambassador said with a bemused grin. “Now, why don't we go inside, and you can tell me everything.”

000000

Once more, the _Phoenix_ secured to a pier, but this time, they had sailed over to the human quarter. Harry, and his friends went into the hold, and put away their things, and once they were done with that, they disembarked, and met with the captain.

“Well, you four. I'll have to say, this was quite the adventure!” Eivör said with a grin. “Now, here you go, boy.” She held in her hand a leather pouch full of coins.

“What's this?” Harry asked.

“Your payment, kid. My crew, and I had a discussion the other night, and we decided it wouldn't do, to take payment from someone who saved the ship, and most likely the whole damn crew.”

Harry shook his head. “No, I can't. You held up your end of the deal. The money is rightfully yours. Pay the men, Eivör. They deserve it.”

The captain noted the look on Harry's face, and sighed. “If you're sure?”

“Yeah. Say, you wouldn't happen to know a good place to rent a room, would you?”

“Aye. If you make your way out of the gate, leading to the harbour, there's a large square right up the street. At the other side, there's a large inn, the _Silver Cutlass._ Now, the prices are a bit steep, but the food and ale is great, and the beds even better.”

The sun was beginning to set, when they were done saying their farewells, and the foursome made their way out of the harbour district. They soon found themselves on the large square Eivör had mentioned, and did indeed spot the _Silver Cutlass._ It was a big building, and had a large balcony, on top of the first floor.

They entered the inn, and looked around the room. “It's rather cozy, eh, Harry!” Nym said joyfully. “Oh, I cannot wait to sleep in a proper bed!”

“Quite right, Nymphadora,” Bella said with a relieved smile, and ignored her niece's daggerful glare.

“ _Oui_ ,” Fleur agreed.

She reached up, and took of Harry's cap, then took his arm, and basically dragged him laughing, toward the counter, where a balding, stately man in his middle years, was busying himself with a few mugs. He glanced up, as they approached.

“Right! Name's Þórir. What can I getcha?” he asked with a toothy grin. He was in a good mood, and had been for a while. All that business up in the Keep meant business was booming. Not even an elf in his establishment, could mess with that.

“Two rooms, and some food, please,” Harry said, and took out a few gold coins.

Þorir's eyes gleamed as he saw the coins, and he quickly palmed them. “Can do!” He went over to a wall, and plucked two keys of a pair of nails, and handed them to Harry. “The last two rooms, lad. On the third floor, at the end of the hallway.”

Harry nodded. “Food?”

“Aye. I've got some pork, and potatoes roasting over the fire. Shouldn't be more than a quarter hour. Since it's such a fine evening, why don't you eat out on the balcony? I'll have the serving girl bring up your ale, in a moment.”

The four of them went up the stairs, and through the door that led to the balcony. It was really quite crowded, and it took them a while to spot an open table. Then, suddenly, Harry stopped in his tracks. His nostrils flaring as he took in a vaguely familiar scent. Then his eyes widened.

“Harry? What's wrong?” Bella asked in concern.

Harry was staring at a red haired woman, who was walking towards him with four empty mugs. She wasn't paying attention to where she was going; shouting something at her friends. Harry didn't register what she was saying, or who they were. All he saw was the young woman, who was almost upon him now. She turned her head again, to see where she was going, and bumped into Harry, and stumbled a bit. Harry simply stared down at her.

000000

She grabbed the mugs by the handle, and rose from the table, a bit miffed. Hadn't she been the one to go for more drinks, last time? She'd gone a few steps, when that flea covered menace shouted something at her she didn't quite hear. She told him to shut up, but as she turned her head again, she bumped into someone, and stumbled back a step.

The woman collected herself. She was a bit annoyed with that lousy mutt for distracting her, especially when it was this crowded. She would have sworn he had done it on purpose. Well, at least the mugs had been empty. She turned a sheepish gaze up into the eyes of the man she'd bumped into, and her breath caught in her throat.

His eyes were emerald green. The exact same colour as her own, in fact. They stared into each other's eyes for a long while. Then, her eyes found a strangely shaped scar on his forehead. She fell back again, and dropped the mugs, her eyes, once again staring into his. She slowly approached him again, and gently brushed her fingertips along his cheek, as if she was convincing herself he was actually there.

The man cleared his throat, and opened his mouth to speak, his voice hesitant.

“Mum?”

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Queen Shala: https://www.deviantart.com/dimary/art/Commission-Dark-Elf-659329303


	17. XVIII

First of all, thanks to all, who have reviewed, given me kudos, and put my story into your bookmarks. You humble me, and I shall endeavour to prove worthy of your precious time. :-)

Alot happens, in this chapter. A pair of things many of you have been waiting for, and a new development with two of Harry's women.

XVIII

James shook his head at his best friend in wonder, then turned his attention to the map they'd been poring over. He couldn't quite focus on it, however. Would Sirius ever learn not to tease Lily? She put up with it from him, her husband, but her patience for Padfoot was... well... none.

“Sirius, you think you're ever going to grow up?” a woman said in an annoyed tone.

There was a bark of laughter. “Oh, come on, Amelia! She loves me!”

Amelia Bones shook her head. “Perhaps, but that doesn't mean she likes you. I'd not be surprised if she doesn't bring you anything, actually. You've probably had enough, as it is.”

A look of pure horror grazed Sirius' face at that. “No! Don't say things like that, 'Melia!”

He quickly turned in his seat, and was about to yell something at Lily again, but the words died on his tongue, when he saw his friend standing in front of a unusually large elf. She stared at him for a while, before she backed away a step, and dropped the mugs onto the floor.

After barely a moment's hesitation, she approached the elf again. She tentatively reached out, and brushed her fingers along his cheek. Sirius saw the elf say something, which caused Lily to bring her hand to her mouth in shock.

“Oi! Prongs, do you know the big fellow?”

James looked up and saw his wife, and the big guy. “No, can't say that I do. What's going on?”

Sirius stood up, meaning to go and back up his friend, if she was in trouble, when he noted a pair of women he'd honestly never thought he'd see again.

“Oh, _Merlin,_ ” he swore.

“What?” Amelia asked, and stood up, at the same time as James did.

“Nymphadora?” Amelia asked, and stared at the rookie Auror.

“Mhmm,” Sirius confirmed. “ _She-Whose-Name-Must-Never-Be-Spoken-Tonks_. And look, my crazy cousin is here, too.”

A growl escaped Amelia's lips. “Bellatrix,” the former head of the DMLE seethed, and reached for her sword, but Sirius stopped her.

“Wait. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the blonde, Fleur Delacour?”

James frowned. “As in daughter of _Jean-Luc_ Delacour?”

Amelia studied her for a moment, before nodding. “Yes, you're right, Sirius. I've met her several times, when I've been to see my colleague across the Channel. There's no mistaking her. She _is_ a Veela, after all,” Amelia said, and turned to Sirius, but the man was staring at the group again, his eyes focused on the big man, or so Amelia thought. Sirius' face had lost most of its colour by that time.

“I know that bird,” he said weakly.

“The owl?” James said. “What about it?”

“ _She_ ,” Sirius corrected his friend. “Her name's Hedwig, and she's...”

Fervently hoping he was wrong, Sirius decided to throw all caution to the wind. He stepped onto his stool, and shouted at the top of his lungs. “Harry!” Much to his dismay, the large elf immediately turned his head their way.

“Padfoot!”

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Lily brought her hand to her mouth in a state of shock. This elven man had called her _Mum_. She wanted to scoff at the notion, but his eyes... And that scar. It looked exactly like Sirius had described it, and it was in the correct place. She simply stared at him for a long while, until she heard Sirius call.

“Harry!”

The elf turned his head toward her friend's voice, and the recognition in his eyes, and the smile that followed, had Lily almost fainting.

“Padfoot!”

The elf stepped around her, and marched toward Sirius, who was rushing towards them with all haste. The two men eventually met and threw their arms around each other. Their embrace was long, and intimate.

Lily felt a hand on her shoulder, and turned to find a young woman with pink, spiky hair looking at her in concern. “Mrs. Potter, are you alright?”

Lily stared at the woman incredulously. 'Was she alright?' What kind of question was that? She had just met someone who claimed to be the son she hadn't seen for almost twenty years, and he looked like an elf on steroids.

Someone clicked their tongue in irritation. “Nymphadora, just how do you suppose she would be alright?”

“ _Oui,_ ” another said. “That was a silly question, Tonks.”

Lily turned her head, and regarded the other two women. A very beautiful raven haired woman she could have sworn she knew from somewhere, and a blonde, whose beauty simply could not be natural. A Veela, perhaps?”

“Hey, I'm just trying to help,” the girl - Tonks said. “You two were just standing there.”

The raven haired one sighed. “Nym-”

“Auntie Bella, I swear, if you don't stop using the _name_ I'll shove my rapier so far up your arse, you'll need a pair of orcs to yank it out!” Tonks growled.

Before Bella could give her niece an answer, Harry and Sirius broke apart, and the pair turned towards the four women.

“Nymmie!” Sirius exclaimed, and marched straight up to his cousin, and brought her in for a massive hug. “I missed you, girlie.”

Nym laughed at Sirius, and lightly slapped him on the shoulder when they broke apart. “It's Tonks, you git. You best remember it, this time.”

Harry looked on with a smile. He had always enjoyed watching Sirius interact with his younger cousin. They had an easy camaraderie, that wasn't too different from what he himself shared with his Metamorph friend. Aside from being in love, of course.

Sirius then made his way over to Fleur, grabbed her hand, and lightly kissed her knuckles. “Now, aren't you a vision, Miss Delacour!”

Fleur giggled. “ _Enchantée, monsieur_ ,” she said, and did a little curtsy.

And finally, Sirius turned his gaze upon his least favourite person in the world, aside from Peter Pettigrew. He stared at her, his eyes frosty. Then, after staring at her for a while, he dismissed her, and turned his eyes back to Harry.

“Interesting company you're keeping, Harry. You didn't go Dark on me, did you?”

Harry shook his head, then eyed his father, and Amelia, who were making their way over. “Perhaps we should go sit down, Sirius. I ordered food, and it should be here soon, and we've been on our feet all day.”

“Good idea, Harry,” Sirius said, and waved for James and Amelia to return to their seats.

“Harry?” someone said in a small voice. Harry turned toward the voice, and gazed upon his mother, who was standing behind him, biting her lip in indecision. He smiled at her, his eyes radiating kindness, and warmth.

“Hello, Mum. Not exactly the way I pictured us meeting, back when I still thought about such things, but... here we are.”

Lily rushed forward then, and threw her arms around her son, giving him a hug that would have shamed any Molly Weasley hug. She began crying into his chest, her body racked with sobs.

“I'm sorry! I'm so sorry for leaving you, Harry.”

Harry put his hands on her shoulders and eased her away a bit. “It's not like you decided to go on a vacation, and leave me behind. You _died_ , Mum. Nothing you could have done about that, I reckon.”

He put his arm around her shoulders and turned her around. “Come on, let's go sit down, OK?”

Mother and son made their way over to the table, with Harry's companions trailing behind them. Fortunately, the table was rather large, and the affixed benches were easily large enough to accommodate all of them. Harry eased his mother onto the bench, and turned his eyes to his father, who was staring at him intensely.

“Dad.”

Feeling somewhat less overwhelmed than his wife, James grinned at his son, and gave him a quick hug, and a clap on the shoulder. “Son.”

Once they were done, Harry turned to Amelia and extended his hand, which the former head of the DMLE grasped firmly, and shook it once. “It's good to see you, Madam Bones. It's been a while.”

“That it has, Mr. Potter. I'd like to extend a late apology for that farce of a trial, back when you were about to enter your fifth year. It should never have gone that far. And please, it's Amelia.”

Harry shrugged. “Not your fault, Madame- Amelia. I'm guessing the Umbitch (a growl could be heard from Bella at the mention of the Toad), had Fudge's ear, and played him into it. And his own cowardice, of course. I don't much care any more. I've no desire to dwell upon the past too much. Besides, as I recall, you were rather vocal in your support of me.”

“Well, I asked around, and Minerva, for one, was adamant you would most certainly never do something like a _Patronus,_ without proper cause.”

Harry smiled fondly at the mention of his lover's name. “Yeah. She always did try and do right by me, even if it didn't always look like it.”

Amelia sat down and Harry motioned for Bella, Fleur and Tonks to do the same. Harry was about to round the table, and sit next to Amelia, when he felt a hand grab his own. He looked down, and saw a pleading look on his mother's face.

“Sit next to your Mum, Harry,” Nym said, and smiled. “I'll sit next to Bonesy.”

Amelia grumbled something about insubordination, as the young Metamorph took her seat, while Bella sat down next to Harry, and Fleur at the end, opposite Nym. And Hedwig, of course, who found herself on her human's shoulder. Harry felt his mother lace her fingers with his, and grasp his hand tightly, her own hand shaking a little bit.

“OK, so what's the story with crazy over there,” Sirius began, and pointed at Bella, but he was unprepared for Harry's frigid look.

“That's enough, Sirius.”

“But Harry, she's an insane bitch!”

“She was,” Harry agreed. “She's better now. Do you remember what you tasked Gringotts with, a while before you... left.”

Sirius frowned in thought. “Sure. I asked them to go over the Black vaults, and get rid of any Dark artefacts, and examine any legal documents in there. And try to find any marriage contracts.”

“Right. It just so happens that they did find Bellatrix' contract to Lestrange, and discovered it was charmed all to hell with a pair of compulsion charms, put in place by Cygnus, and Tom Riddle. They bound her to them, Sirius,” Harry said, his voice dripping with disgust.

A shocked silence followed Harry's words. Sirius went deathly pale, as his mind connected the dots, and he understood what it meant.

“Bella, I-”

“Don't,” Bella said, and raised a hand. “It's over and done with. Andie and Harry got me through it, and I'd like to leave it in the past, where it belongs.”

Sirius was silent for a while, before he nodded. “Well, if that's the case, then you can absolutely not apologize for sending me through the Veil. We're starting over.”

Bella smiled happily at her cousin. “I'd like that, Siri.”

“So, if Gringotts found Bella's contract, then they must have found Narcissa's,” Sirius continued, and eyed Harry.

“They did. I annulled it,” Harry said with a grin. “And I reinstated Andie into the house of Black.”

Sirius lifted a brow. “But why would... Oh, Tonks. I'm so sorry, luv,” he said, and put a hand on Nym's shoulder.

“It's fine, Padfoot,” she said with a sad smile. “Perhaps Dad's here, somewhere.”

“Perhaps,” Sirius said with a nod. “I haven't seen him, but it's a big place.”

A panic descended upon Sirius then, and he leaned over to Harry. “Did you select a successor to the headship of House Black, Harry? Because if you didn't, the little Malfoy shit, stands to take it all.”

Harry grinned at his godfather. “Don't worry, Sirius. The headship's in good, tinkering hands. Hell, he's even a pureblood. A distant cousin of yours, actually. I don't think some people will be happy, though, given his hobbies.”

Sirius tilted his head to the side, and gave Harry a questioning look. “A pureblood?”

Then, there was a snort to his right. Sirius turned to look at James, who was starting to laugh, while looking at his son with pride. “I suppose there's a little Marauder in you, eh, Harry?”

“Just a bit,” Harry said with a grin.

Then Amelia got it, and began chuckling evilly. “Oh, Walburga's certain to have a fit, once she learns of this.” Amelia gave Bellatrix a look that told her that, yes, her family was indeed there.

“Oh, yes,” Bella agreed with a sadistic glee. “And my father... can you imagine it!?”

“What's gotten into you lot,” Lily, who had never shown any interest in wizarding politics, and was just as lost as Sirius, asked, and leaned over to look her son in the eye.

Then, it seemed as if a lightbulb had been lit in Padfoot's brain, and he turned a disbelieving eye onto Harry. “You didn't...”

“Of course I did,” Harry confirmed with a slightly smug smile. “It's the Maraudiest thing to do.”

Sirius stared at Harry for a moment longer, before he let out a roar of laughter, which lasted long enough for it to become a wheeze. “Arthur Weasley as Head of House Black! Who would have thunk it!”

And now Lily understood. “Oh, god. You're right, Harry. That's bound to have upset some people,” she said with a raised brow.

“How did Cissy take those news, Harry?” Sirius asked when he'd mustered himself.

“She very much approved, actually. Had I not done it without her knowledge, I'm certain she would have suggested it, herself, at some point.”

“Wait, what?” Sirius was crestfallen.

“Yeah. She's on my side, Sirius,” Harry said with a smile.

Before they could go any further, Þórir appeared with the food Harry had ordered, and a large pitcher of ale. He put the food down, and poured the ale into the four mugs. He took it back with him when he left, telling them the gold Harry had paid with, would have them drink for a week, without paying.

The weary travellers dug into their meal with a ravenous appetite, and the three girls discovered the ale was extremely good, if quite strong. Harry, however didn't drink, and simply ate his food.

“You don't like the ale, Harry?” his mother asked, as she watched him eat.

“Well, I suppose I could drink, but it won't affect me in any way, so perhaps one of you should drink it.”

“What do ya mean, Hero?” Nym asked. Her eyes had a teasing glint in them, and it was clear she was feeling the effects of the ale already.

“I can't get drunk, Nym. I tried, after I told your mum, and the others about my... condition. My body is too powerful, it seems. It purges the alcohol too quickly for it to have any effect.”

“Ooooh! Poor baby,” Nym said with a pout, and reached for Harry's mug. “That sucks! But hey! That means there's more for me!”

James cleared his throat, and gave his son a level look. “I think it would be best if you would tell us what's been going on since Dumbledore died, Harry. Clearly, there's quite a lot we don't know about.”

Harry sighed. Again, with that damned story. He really should have had presentation boards created for this. “So, a month after Dumbledore died, Fawkes came to me...”

000000

Narcissa flushed the toilet, made her way over to the sink, and reached for her toothbrush. She squeezed a liberal amount of paste onto the brush, and began working her teeth. (Who would have thought she would actually prefer the Muggle way of cleaning her teeth?) When she heard the upstairs toilet flush as well, she was quite thankful that Andie's house did, in fact have two bathrooms.

Narcissa finished brushing, and eyed herself critically in the mirror. Her face was red, and bloated, after the ordeal. She and reached for her wand to freshen the glamour she had put on, when she had finished her morning shower. Once that was done, she made her way over to the kitchen, and her sister joined her momentarily.

“I'd forgotten how much I hate this part of the whole experience, Cissy,” Andie said with a groan, and reached for an apple. “It seems you're just as bad as me.”

“I'd also forgotten, Andie,” Cissy replied with a sigh. “But it's worth it all, in the end.”

“That it is,” Andie agreed. “You're ready?”

“Yes, I am. I've gone over the texts a few times, with Hermione, and the Wizengamot cannot deny the motion. Our case is solid. If you're willing.”

“Of course I am,” Andie replied firmly.

It was five weeks after the supposed death of Harry, the last of the Potters. In accordance with custom, and out of respect for the deceased, the Wizengamot waited for at least one month, before debating any application for the empty seat.

A pair of applications had been put forth, by David Owen, and Charles Thewlis, respectively. While Narcissa was hesitant to call either of them blood supremacists, both were extremely conservative, and would fight anything she and Hermione wanted to do.

She had suspected Owen and Thewlis would put up their names for consideration. They had been circling the Wizengamot for years, after all. She had gone on the prowl at once, hunting for anything that might be useful to hold over their heads. She had come up empty. It seemed Selwyn had chosen wisely.

Fortune had favoured them, however, and with a certain new development, an avenue had opened up for them, and they had decided to seize it. It was a bit heavy handed, for Narcissa's liking, but it was the best option, going forward.

The sisters Apparated to Diagon Alley, and made their way into the Ministry, and went straight to the Potter office. They found Hermione in there, reading the relevant texts, for the hundredth time.

“Hermione, it's going to be fine,” Narcissa reassured her. “The opposition has no legal recourse.”

Hermione nodded. “I know. I'm just nervous. I read when I'm nervous.”

“Don't be,” Andie said with a smile. “You've done wonderfully, so far. I don't see why you shouldn't keep it up!”

“Let's go see Augusta, then,” Hermione said, and led the two witches out of her office, and down the hall to the office of the Chief Warlock. Hermione knocked on the door.

“Enter!”

The three witches did, and Hermione closed the door behind them. Augusta finished with whatever she had been reading, and clasped her hands together atop of her desk.

“Ah, good to see you three,” she greeted them fondly. “So, what can I help you with?”

Hermione cleared her throat nervously, and handed Augusta a parchment, which outlined their plan to deal with the opposition's play. The Longbottom matriarch accepted the parchment with a raised eyebrow, and began reading. Soon, her other brow rose as well, and eventually, they almost disappeared, beneath her hair.

“Surely, you jest!” she gasped, and stared at Andromeda, and Narcissa.

“No, we do not,” Andie said with a beatific smile. She looked radiant. “It is indeed what has happened.”

“We will not deny it's quite fortuitous, though it wasn't planned,” Narcissa added.

Augusta eyed them for a moment longer, then handed Hermione the parchment again. “I can't see anything wrong with it, and I will allow it. Now, usually, I would ask you to send a copy of this parchment to all the other Wizengamot members, but it's not strictly required. I daresay it will be more effective, to spring it on them in open session. Not to mention much safer.”

000000

Augusta thumped her gavel a few times, and the assembly quieted down. “Today, we have before us applications to replace the Potter seat, put forth by David Owen, of Minor House Owen, and Charles Thewlis of Minor House Thewlis. Mr. Selwyn, I believe you offered to plead their case.”

Selwyn rose from his seat, and descended onto the floor. “Indeed, I did, Chief Warlock. I shall try and be brief. Most of us know, or at least have heard of both men, and know they are men who are very much in tune with our most celebrated traditions.”

He began pacing, and kept going. “While neither House has been recognized as Ancient yet, both Mr. Owen, and Mr. Thewlis have been heavily involved in politics for a long time. They know the Wizengamot like the back of their hands, and I believe either one to be a very good candidate for the newly available seat, Chief Warlock. I do not think this needs any further debate, short of deciding which one of these fine men takes their rightful place among us.”

When Selwyn had retaken his seat, Chief Warlock Augusta thumped her gavel again. “All those in favour of Mr. Owen to replace Mr. Potter, light the green button in front of you. All those in favour of Mr. Thewlis, do the same with the red button.”

It was a quick vote, and heavily in Owen's favour, as Narcissa had predicted.

“The Chief Warlock acknowledges the vote, and congratulates Mr. Owen on his success. However, as tradition dictates, the floor is now open to any who would contest the new appointment.”

Hermione rose from her seat.

“The Chief Warlock recognizes Miss Granger, the Potter proxy. Miss. Granger, the floor is yours.”

“Thank you, Chief Warlock,” Hermione said, and made her way down.

Selwyn barely managed to fight down a sneer. The Muggle bitch. She wanted to embarrass herself in front of the Wizengamot? By all means. It would save him the need to discredit her, himself.

Hermione made a show of leafing through the parchments in her hands, while pacing a few times across the floor. “I have a motion I would like to put across the floor.”

Selwyn suddenly became nervous. He had assumed the girl would moan and cry, but she was calm and composed, and now, she had a motion?

“I would like to ask the Wizengamot's permission to establish a regency for House Potter, with Andromeda Black as acting regent.”

You could have heard a pin drop, following Hermione's announcement. Then all hell broke loose. There was shouting and cursing, and things almost descended into total chaos, before Augusta managed to bring things under control.

Selwyn rose from his chair, his gaze utterly livid. “On what grounds do you expect us to pass such a ridiculous motion?” the man asked, his voice thick with disdain.

Hermione calmly met his gaze, and the man could see his defeat in her eyes, even before she spoke.

“Ms. Andromeda Black is carrying Harry Potter's child, and as such, the Potter seat cannot be vacated, thus making my request for regency perfectly reasonable, and in fact preferable. Further, if something was to happen to Andromeda, before her child is born, her sister Narcissa is willing to act in her stead, on the grounds that she is _also_ thick with Harry Potter's child. Should you wish to have it verified, I have here in my hand the pregnancy test, and blood work, performed by Saint Mungo's two days ago.”

Silence, shock and disbelief was Hermione's only answer...

000000

“And then we went through the veil, and ended up in this world,” Nym said, and poured herself some more of the ale.

There was a brief silence that followed Nym's words, and Harry could tell his parents, godfather, as well as Amelia were in a bit of a shock.

“Well, that was quite a tale,” Amelia said, and took a drink from her mug.

“Yes, it was,” Lily said, before she turned an annoyed look onto her son. “There will be no more of such foolish behaviour, Harry. Do you understand?”

James nodded. “I'm with your mother there, son.”

Sirius shared a look with both his cousins, and grinned, when he saw both of them roll their eyes.

“You might want to save your breath, Prongs, Lils,” Padfoot said. “If I know Harry, and I kind of do, he's already doing it over here, too.”

“Really?” Lily asked icily. “And what, pray tell, have you been doing, son of mine?”

Harry was feeling a little uncomfortable. “Nothing much, Mum.”

“Oh, come off it, Hero,” Nym said with a grin. “Rescuing slaves, killing mercenaries, slavers, and sea monsters isn't 'nothing'.”

“ _Oui_ , Harry,” Fleur said, and smiled her lovely smile. “You should be proud of what you have accomplished.”

“Oh, Fleur, please, do tell me more,” Lily said, and gave her son a glare. Fleur did as she was told, and launched into the story of their adventures, since coming to this world.

At the end, Sirius clasped his hands together, and smiled wistfully. “Oh, how sweet! You became friends with a little princess! Isn't he precious, James?”

Harry simply shook his head, and turned his gaze upon each of his lovers, in turn. “None of you picked up on it, huh.”

“Picked up on what, Harry?” Bella asked.

“I doubt there exists a young girl by the name of Asha, among the Dark Elves. And if there is, she wasn't with us.”

“So, if she wasn't Asha, then who was she?” Nym asked curiously.

Harry ran a hand through his longish hair. He'd need to cut it soon. “I'd wager all my gold on the possibility that Asha, is actually _Shala_ , Queen of the Dark Elves.”

“What makes you say that, Harry?” Nym asked.

“I don't really know, Nym. Just a feeling, I guess. And that guy has been making me wonder,” Harry replied, and pointed to a hooded person, sitting in the far corner of the balcony, watching them with too much interest.

As soon as the person in the hood realized their mark had made them, they quietly slipped away, in a manner which told Harry that, whoever that person was, they had done this very often.

“That's a Shadow, Harry,” Lily informed him with a frown.

“A what?”

“They're agents of the Dark Elf crown. Assassins, spies, that sort of thing,” James supplied, and took a drink from his mug. “If it's not Shala, then, at the very least, her sister Shana has enough interest in you to send one of them here, to keep an eye on you.”

Nym let out a monstrous yawn, and slumped onto her arms, on the table, before raising her head up again. “Can we finish this tomorrow, and go to bed now? I want to sleep!”

Harry nodded his accord. Sleep sounded absolutely brilliant. “Yeah, I think that's a great idea.”

They stood up as one, and grouped their mugs and dishes at one end of the table. Lily then took her son's hands in her own, and leaned up and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

“Your father and I, as well as Sirius and Amelia, have been staying at a friend's house for a couple of days now. Our business in the Keep is done, so we'll be heading home tomorrow. What are your plans?”

“Well, we were planning on going to the College and ask if they've heard of any Gate, or a Veil. I suppose it depends on what we learn there.”

Sirius snorted. “I can save you a trip, Harry. Those hacks don't know anything about those things. I've already been. It was the first thing I did when I reached this place, and I left with more questions, instead of answers.”

Lily nodded at her friend, then turned to her son again. “I would very much like it, if you four would come and stay at our home for a few days. You need to rest, and our villa is only a day's ride to the east.”

Harry glanced over at his companions, who all gave him a firm nod. Apparently, they all felt he should spend some time with his parents. If Harry was honest with himself, it wasn't as if he didn't want to spend time with them. In fact, there were very few things he desired more.

It was just, he felt very strongly that he needed to return home as soon as possible. It was a feeling that had been growing steadily stronger, ever since they came to this place, but especially over the last week, or so. But, his mother had a point; they did need a rest. And of course, there was the whole Horcrux mess to deal with.

“Alright.” He gave his mother a smile. “I'm looking forward to it, Mum.”

Then Amelia suddenly stepped forward, and gave Harry a tight hug. “I wanted to thank you for bringing me news of my Susie. It's a weight of my shoulders, to know she's alright.”

Harry smiled. “Madame Longbottom won't let anything happen to either her, or Hannah.”

“Less talk, more sleep!” Nym groaned, and let herself crash into Harry, who simply picked her up, and held her in his arms. She rested her head against his shoulder, and fell asleep, almost instantly.

“Nym?” Harry said, and nudged her head gently with his shoulder, but she didn't respond. “Well, I suppose it really is time for bed, then. Should we meet here in the morning”?

“Sure, Harry. That sounds good,” James said, and clasped his son on the shoulder.

And with that, Harry turned around, his Nym cradled safely in his arms, and the other two following in his wake. Lily, James and Amelia went to get their things, while Sirius stood and watched his godson make his way inside.

Something wasn't sitting quite right with Sirius. There was just something about the way Harry interacted with those three women that had him wondering. The way he kept referring to Tonks as 'Nym', for example.

Everyone knew the little she-devil hated her name, and all things resembling it, but it seemed she preferred Harry used that abbreviation of her name, for some reason. Well, he'd keep his suspicions to himself, until he could talk to her in private. No sense in bothering everyone, yet.

“Padfoot? Something wrong?” James asked, as he and the others came upon him again.

Sirius shook his head, and took his coat off James's hands. “No, I'm fine, Prongs. It's just a bit overwhelming to see Harry again, and how much he's changed,” Sirius said, hoping it would be enough for his friend.

“So, he's different, then? Aside from the obvious,” Lily asked, as the group descended the stairs, and quit the inn.

“Very,” Sirius confirmed. “The Harry I got to know was a brooding, somewhat reserved young man, who carried the weight of the world on his shoulders, and it showed.”

“Not to mention how polarized our world was, when Harry was involved,” Amelia supplied. “It's a wonder he didn't crack.”

“I agree,” Sirius said. “He had Hermione to keep him sane, Lils.”

“A great friend, that one,” Lily commented.

“The very best,” Sirius said with a smile. “I actually thought they might get together, eventually.”

“Oh, well. No use wondering about the past. Especially now, since he's stuck here,” James said, and clasped his friend on the shoulder.

Amelia sent Sirius a look, which he returned with a raised brow. James and Lily obviously didn't know their son, and while Amelia herself didn't know him at all, he was quite clearly an extremely resourceful young man.

She remembered when Dumbledore had told her how Harry had led his friends into the very bowels of the Ministry, of all places. Then he had led a fight, where they held their own against several adult wizards, two of whom were Malfoy, and Bellatrix herself. Two of Riddle's best fighters, no less.

“Have you not listened to anything you've heard about your boy, since Sirius came here? Or that story from earlier?” Amelia asked, a little incredulously.

“Pardon?” Lily said.

“What Amelia's trying to say, is that Harry's not staying here, Lily,” Sirius said, and gave his friend a sad smile. “He's made up his mind to return, and that's what he'll do, no matter what. I don't know why he's so focused on it, since Riddle should be mortal at the moment, but that's how it is.”

“Sirius, don't you think someone would have found the way back by now, if there was indeed one, to be found?” James asked.

Sirius simply shook his head. “None of them were your son, James, and the word impossible does not apply to one Harry Potter,” Sirius concluded, and led the group down the street.

000000

After having brought Nym to one of the rooms he had rented, and Nym to bed, Harry asked Bella and Fleur how they wanted to split the group. Bella told Harry he'd best stay with Tonks.

“I think we need to tread carefully, Harry. Your parents didn't notice anything off with us, and neither did Amelia. Sirius probably suspects something. At least about you and my niece. He was always an observant little shit,” she said.

“What are you talking about?” Harry asked.

“She's wondering how your godfather and parents will feel, when they find out you're involved with all of us, _mon amour_ ,” Fleur informed him.

“With _me,_ ” Bella said with a startling bitterness.

“I'm still not following,” Harry insisted, feeling a bit lost.

“Don't be thick, Harry,” Bella chided him. “I'm ten years older than your parents, and I was that _thing's_ right had man. Do you honestly think they'll simply accept me?”

“Why not? All the others did,” Harry said.

“Did they?” Bella returned. “I don't know, and neither do you. And even if that's true, your parents don't have the perspective Hermione has, for instance. We could tell them everything that's happened between us, ever since that night you brought me to Nymphadora's, but it won't have the same impact.”

“I'm not embarrassed, Bella,” Harry said, and took her hands in his. “You know how I feel about you.”

Bella sighed. “Will you do this for me, Harry? Please? I would really like to establish some kind of relationship with your parents, before we spring this on them.”

Harry turned his attention onto Fleur, who gave him a sad smile. “I think I'm with Bellatrix on this, Harry. We really should try and ease them into it. I know you didn't think about this, when you basically announced to the world, your involvement with Bellatrix and the others, but none of these other people were your parents.”

Harry was silent. They were right. Meeting him was probably exciting enough, for now. But this got him thinking about something else. How would everyone, back home, react to the recent development between him and Fleur? Or him and Nym? This was headache inducing.

He nodded. “Alright.” He gave Bella a kiss. “But, always remember I love you, and will _never_ be ashamed of doing so. And the same goes for you, Fleur.”

Fleur smiled, and gave him a toe curling kiss. “He does know how to speak to a lady, _non_?” she said teasingly, and grinned at Bella.

“That he does, Fleur, that he does.”

Harry started rubbing his chin, deep in thought. Bella's mention of age, had raised a different issue, that he had stumbled over, when he first saw his mother.

“Don't they look young, to you?” Harry asked Bella, and Fleur. “My parent's, I mean. I have a picture, back at Privet Drive, that was taken when I was just over a year old. They haven't changed a bit.”

“That is strange, I agree,” Bella said.

“I guess we should ask them,” Fleur said. “But later. Time for bed, now.”

000000

The Shadow swiftly made his way back to the elven quarter. He stopped by the gate of the ambassador's mansion, and was quickly granted entry. Once inside, he was told the Queen, and her sister could be found in the Queen's chambers. The elf soon found himself outside the door. He raised his fist, and knocked.

“Enter!” came the ambassador's voice.

The Shadow did as was commanded. The sisters were seated by the fire, enjoying a cup of herbal tea. The spy knelt.

“What have you to report, Shadow?” ambassador Shana asked.

“I learned little of consequence, other than the young man's identity, mistress. He appears to be the son of James and Lily Potter.”

Shana sent her sister a glance, and noticed she wasn't surprised. “You knew who he was?”

Shala nodded. “I was fairly certain he was. Potter's not a very common name, after all, but it is good to have it confirmed. This may aid the cause of us elves, going forward.”

Shana nodded thoughtfully. The Potters were greatly respected for their tireless efforts in helping non humans. More than once, they had discovered plots to disrupt the peace, and begin a war. How curious that their son, who had, according to her sister, come here from the other world, very recently, had done the same. She turned her eyes on her servant.

“Anything more?”

“There's one other thing. Mr. Potter seems to have deduced the real identity of the Queen, mistress.”

To Shana's surprise, her sister merely smiled. “Of course he did. Did you learn more?”

“I regret to inform you that I was discovered, before I could glean anything further.”

Shala waved the servant away, and turned her eyes onto the fire. Once he was gone, Shana clicked her tongue in annoyance.

“Useless. I swear, they become worse by the year.”

Shala laughed at her sister's mood. “I'm somewhat surprised your little spy managed to learn that much, actually. Harry has very keen senses. I'd wager he made his tail, the moment we sent him out.”

Shala scoffed at herself. “He might even have heard me, when I asked you to send your spy. Probably means Harry didn't mind him, and by extension, _me_ getting to know him better.”

“ _Harry_ , is it? Earlier, it was always 'that boy',” Shana commented. “Surely you were only pulling a prank on poor old Kalas. You don't actually mean to try and get your hooks into him? He's at least three _centuries_ younger than you! And he's human!” she finished incredulously.

“What of it?” Shala asked heatedly. “You've not seen the real Harry! The young man, who went alone against twelve men, to save a group of strangers, in world not his own. A young lad, who risked his own life, to save that of more than a hundred, and slew a sea monster, most thought was but legend.”

“By the gods, you're smitten with him!” Shana exclaimed in apparent disbelief. “Shala, the infamous dark elf, who has spurned the advances of the mightiest of our warriors, for years and years,” she mocked her sister.

“And what of you, _older_ sister? Why have you not managed to find yourself a man? No one biddable enough for you to order around?” Shala asked spitefully.

It was a low blow, which she regretted instantly, when she saw the look of hurt on Shana's face. The Queen knew very well, that her sister preferred the company of other women. While Shala certainly didn't mind, and felt life was too short to deny yourself love, society wasn't as accepting.

“Oh, I am sorry, Shana,” Shala said in a low voice. “I went too far.”

Shana took a few calming breaths, and nodded, eventually. “We both did, sister. Is the boy truly that impressive?”

With a sigh, Shala nodded. “He is. But it's not so much his heroics, but what drives him, that has drawn me to him.”

“And what's that?” Shana asked, and poured her sister another cup of tea.

“Kindness. Pure, unadulterated kindness. The need to help others, to ease their pain.” She became thoughtful. “But he's also reckless, and his sense of self preservation is almost absent.”

“Sounds unhealthy, to me,” Shala said, and took a drink.

“Yes, and likely to bring him to an early grave,” the Queen said. “So to speak.”

“So, what do you intend to do, Shala?”

“Nothing, for now. We have other matters to attend to, don't we? The summit... Is everything ready?”

“As much as we can be, I suppose. Oh, I forgot to tell you, the Light Elf delegation arrived yesterday. Prince Oric was among them.”

Queen Shala groaned in annoyance. Prince Oric. The most pretentious, overbearing, self-centred moron, she'd ever had the misfortune of meeting. Why on earth had her cousins from across the sea, sent _him_ with the delegation. The damned idiot was viable to wreck the whole thing. He also happened to be in love with her.

Shana laughed when she saw her sister's grimace. How she delighted in the way Shala couldn't even begin to hide her dislike of the prince. “Oh, come now! He's not that bad!”

Shala rolled her eyes. “Shana, I love you, but I really don't think you're qualified to tell me which _man_ is worth my time.”

That made Shana laugh. In any case, it was true. “His sister's not bad looking...”

The sisters shared a look, then burst out laughing. Things were becoming silly, a sure sign it was time for bed.

000000

“Oh! My aching head,” Nym groaned, as she sat up in the bed.

Harry, who had been awake for some time, merely grinned at her. “Serves you right, for drinking so much, Nym.”

She stared at him, with a hurt expression. “Where's your sense of compassion, you heartless monster? Can't you see the love of your life is in hellish agony?”

“A hell of her own making,” Bellatrix remarked, as she and Fleur entered the room, and both grinned at the young Metamorph.

“ _Chérie,_ you'll remember to be more responsible, in the future, _non_?” Fleur said, and sat down on the bed, next to Nym.

“Aaah! Some friends you lot are...” Nym grumbled, and set about getting dressed.

Once everyone was ready, they made their way down to the common room, and found Harry's parents, as well as Sirius and Amelia waiting for them.

“Morning, all,” Harry greeted them.

Lily approached Harry, hugged him tightly, and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Morning, love,” she said with a smile.

“Oi! Nymmie! You have a little too much to drink last night, mate?” Sirius asked with a smug grin.

“Shut it, you menace,” his pink haired cousin growled. “You're not looking so hot, yourself, actually.”

“Oh, he's not suffering from crapulence,” Amelia said. “This is what he usually looks like. Like a vagrant, dressed in proper clothes.”

Sirius wasn't offended, however. “You like the way I look, 'Melia, just admit it. I'm ruggedly handsome.” Sirius finished with a puffed chest.

Amelia scoffed, and pointed at Harry, who was watching the exchange with an amused look. As was Hedwig, who was perched on his shoulder, as always. “Your godson is ruggedly handsome. You just look like a bum.”

Now, that had James laughing out loud. “Oh, Padfoot, you lost that one. Badly. Now, I'd really want to get going, if you don't mind. I'd like to get home, before dark.”

The group marched as one, toward the east gate. Lily walked with Harry, holding his hand. She felt this aching need to be with her son, as much as possible. She had finally met him, and he was an impressive man, to be sure. The things he had achieved, and how he had turned out, made her extremely proud.

Eventually, they came upon the stables. James and Sirius went inside, and returned, leading seven horses. One, for each of them. Harry looked around, and noted the uncertain looks of both Bellatrix and Nym.

“I bought four horses this morning, Harry, for you and your friends. We have a carriage, but it's back at the villa, unfortunately. I expect none of you know how to ride, though, so we'll take it slow.”

“I know how to ride, _Monsieur_ Potter,” Fleur informed them, and accepted the reins of a bay gelding. She put a boot into the left stirrup, and settled herself comfortably in the saddle, once she had mounted.

“Well, that's a surprise,” James said. “Wizards are usually too lazy do anything but Apparate.”

“Harry? You want to try?” his father asked, and held out to him the reins of a black stallion.

Lily wasn't exactly impressed, knowing her husband was pulling a prank on his son. “James, I don't think Harry should be riding a horse that's not been gelded. It might be too spirited for a beginner,” she said, annoyed.

“Your mother's right, _mon_ \- Harry,” Fleur said. “Perhaps we should switch?”

James simply raised a brow at his son. Was he not up for the challenge? Hedwig bumped her human in the head with her own, encouraging him to respond. Harry shrugged, and accepted the reins. He approached the horse carefully, and began speaking to it in a low voice, which the others couldn't hear.

The horse responded, and sniffed Harry's hand, making soft blowing noises, and began nibbling on his fingers. It appeared James' son was reaching the horse well. Harry gently brought the reins over the head of the horse, and noted Fleur had made her way over.

“Since you're right handed, Harry, you may find it easier, or more comfortable, to mount your horse from the left. The next step is to have a hold on your reins. Hold them like so, and maintain a slight contact with the bit.”

Harry put the reins into his hand the right way, and pulled on them, but Fleur stopped him. “Not so strongly, Harry, he'll go backwards. Ease up a little. Now grab the front of the saddle, the pommel, with your right hand, put your left foot in the stirrup, and mount.”

Hedwig moved to Nym's shoulder as Harry did as Fleur instructed, and while the horse moved a little bit, he did fine. His mother then approached. “I need to adjust the length of your stirrup leathers, they're a bit long, Harry.”

Once that was ready, Fleur gave Harry a few instructions on how to get the horse moving, and how to communicate with the reins, then told him to try. Harry gently nudged the horses flanks with his heels, and the animal began walking slowly.

Harry turned it this way and that, allowing himself to feel the horse move, how he swayed a bit in the saddle, and the movements of the horse's muscles. Pretty soon, Harry spurred the horse on further, and off they went, at a gallop, along the road, leaving behind them a cloud of dust, with Hedwig taking flight, to follow them.

“Typical,” Nym muttered, and turned her attention to her grey mare, who was nibbling on her sleeve.

“What?” Lily asked.

Bella gave her unknowing mother in law a grin. “Harry's never been on horseback, as far as I know, and he's riding like he's done nothing else, his entire life. His instincts are incredible.”

Lily smiled at Bellatrix. “Well, he has that from James. Sirius told us about Harry being able to fly, like a veteran, the first time he hopped on a broom. I was always more methodical, in my approach to things. A little bookish, I suppose.”

Nym nodded. “I guess you found it pretty ironic when he turned out to still have his magic, when you came here, instead of yourself...”

Lily laughed at that. Well, yes, I did.” Lily rested her hand on the pommel of her blade. “I learned the sword, instead. I'm not half bad, to be honest.”

“One of the finest, this side of the ocean, Tonks!” James yelled, as he and Sirius scanned the road for Harry, who was nowhere to be seen.

“Alright, everyone, let's get going,” Amelia said, and approached her former rookie, and set about telling her what to do.

Hoping she could steal a few moments, alone with Harry, Fleur spurred on her mount. “I'll go and see if I can't find Harry,” she said, and set off, before anyone could say otherwise.

000000

Harry was feeling utterly euphoric, as he sped along the road, on the animal's powerful legs. He relished in the freedom, and the very gratifying connection he felt with the horse, who had decided would be called Storm.

After a while, he realized he'd gone much farther down the road, than he had planned. He pulled gently on the reins, and Storm stopped. He looked around, and saw the immediate area was very flat, and he could see the road stretch for miles, and miles.

To the north, he spied villas, farms and fields. Hills, and the occasional mountain and waterfall, and of course the accompanying rivers. To the south, there were long, sandy beaches, that stretched on, and on, dotted with the occasional cliff. The place was truly beautiful. Hedwig then came swooping down, and interrupted his musings.

“Hello, Hedwig. Do you suppose we should wait here, for the others?”

_Yes, that might be prudent, Harry._

“Alright, Harry said. He dismounted, and lead Storm a ways off the road, and sat down in the grass, looking over the ocean, which was a few miles, away. He closed his eyes, and felt the southern breeze caress his face. He'd been sitting like that for a while, when a song floated his way, on the wind.

“Do you hear that, Hedwig?” he asked his winged friend.

_Yes, I do. I know you're going to investigate, but be careful. There's no knowing what we could find._

Harry assured her he would, and rose to his feet. He grabbed Storm's reins, and set off toward the sea, and the voice. After a while, Storm became restless, and Harry felt it might not be such a bright idea, to bring him any further, so he found a small tree, and tied his reins there. Once that was done, he reached into the Bag, pulled out his sword, and buckled it on. Better safe, than sorry.

Harry moved on, and the song was becoming louder, and more vibrant. Harry was beginning to make out words, but it was a language he'd never heard before, and certainly didn't understand. He found one of the rivers that wound their way toward the ocean, and he decided to follow it. He thought he could hear laughter in the water, but decided it was a trick of the mind.

The land around the river slowly began to rise, and eventually formed into a stretch of coastal cliffs. After untold years, the river had forged herself a path through the columnar igneous rock, on her way to the ocean.

Harry entered the ravine, and the song's power became magnified, as it bounced of the rock, and its otherworldly beauty was similarly emboldened. Harry could hear the waves crash onto the shore. He rounded a bend in the ravine, and emerged in a small, enclosed cove.

Harry looked around, and marvelled at the beauty of the place. The occasional tree grew out of the sheer cliffs which were covered with vegetation, and the warm, azure blue ocean crashed against the rocks at the water's edge. How nice it would be to sit there, on the sand, watching the sunset, with Fleur. Harry knew she would love that place.

At last, Harry's eyes found the source of the song, and he could only stare. They were females, he noted, six of them. They weren't regular woman, but some sort of hybrid, between a bird, and a beautiful human woman. The lower part of their bodies was that of a bird of prey, the taloned feet covered in scales, and the powerful thighs, in feathers.

The upper part of the torso was that of a woman, and protected by scales, similar to the ones that covered their feet, but softer. And they had wings, that nature had seen fit to merge with their arms, but had still given them hands. They sang, in full voice, and Harry had to admit, the song was very pretty, enticing, and he felt it brush against his mind. It wasn't even remotely strong enough to influence him, but it was there. Then, one of them noticed him.

“Sisters!” she exclaimed. “A guest has arrived, at our humble abode!”

As one, the women stopped singing, and turned their attentions to the new arrival. Oh, how marvellous! A human! It had been a fairly long while, since one had graced them with their presence. _Men..._ They were such easy prey, and fine eating.

One of the woman, a dark haired beauty broke off from the group, and hopped from the rock she'd been resting on. With one beat of her wings, she closed the distance between herself, and Harry, who remained calm, yet cautious. Hedwig gave a long hoot, and ruffled her wings angrily.

“Have no fear, young one,” the woman said in a voice that could only be described as hauntingly beautiful, and reminded Harry of Fleur's other half. “I will do you no harm, I assure you. I am Parthenope. How are you called?”

Parthenope? Now, where had Harry heard that name before? His mind travelled back to one of Gryffindor's lessons. Wasn't Parthenope the name of the siren that tried and failed to seduce Odysseus? Hadn't she killed herself?

“Your name, young one?” Parthenope urged him.

“Harry. My name's Harry.”

“Haaarrryyy.” The siren let the name roll enticingly of her tongue. “Nothing more, sweet thing?”

The other five sirens who had been watching the interplay with interest, decided they too, wanted to approach the man, who looked decidedly ravishing. Quickly, they joined their sister on the shore, and slowly began forming a semi circle around their prey, singing in a barely audible voice. Harry frowned, and backed a step.

“Do not mind my sisters, my lovely,” Parthenope told him. “Their names are Ligeia, Aglaopheme, Peisinoe, Thelxiepeia and Leucosia. They are quite lovely, are they not?” she asked, and gestured to them with a winged arm.

“Well, yes, they are,” Harry confirmed. “For a flock of birds. So. What do you plan for me? I think you'll find me even less agreeable, than Odysseus, siren.”

An expression of shock, replaced with an ugly sneer found its way onto the faces of the sirens, as they realized their prey was, in fact, not enthralled. How could that be?

“You know, I think there was a time, when you lot killed yourselves, when you failed to entice a man. Wasn't there?” Harry asked, and unsheathed his sword.

“Foolish human!” Parthenope hissed. “Don't you think it unlikely we would be so torn up by that, when there are more than enough of you fools, for us to feast on?”

Harry shrugged. “I don't know. You seem fairly unhappy, to me. Well, I suppose you'll be happy to see me leave, then.”

Ligeia shrieked at him, before speaking, her voice haughty and proud. “Such a fool you were, to come here alone, mortal. You'll be a feast, fit for queens.”

“ _Il n'est pas seul!_ ” came a shout, from the mouth of the ravine. “He's not alone!”

Harry turned his head, and watched _**Her** _casually stroll toward them, her movements utterly sensual, and drew his eye, like a magnet. **_She_ **hadn't truly transformed, but her eyes were completely black. Without any regard for the sirens, **_She_ **moved past them, put a hand behind Harry's head, and brought him in for a kiss.

“What am I going to do with you, beloved?” **_She_ **asked, once her lips disentangled themselves from Harry's. “Whenever I take my eye of you, you find yourself in some spot of bother.”

Harry merely grinned. “What can I say? It's a gift.”

**_She_ **let her head fall back, and her lovely laughter echoed around the cove. “Indeed, _mon imbécile chéri_.”

Then _**She** _turned to the flock of sirens, who looked very put out by the way the pair had so completely ignored them. “And you, ugly ducklings? Am I right in assuming you meant to eat, that which belongs to me?”

Parthenope shot **_Her_ **an ugly look. “You can deny your nature, all you want, freak. We embrace ourselves, with pride.”

**_She_ **cocked and eyebrow, and laughed a cold, emotionless laugh. “And that's what caused you to flee the _Old World_. Now fly along, before I fry the feathers of your _connasse._ ” **_She_ **looked over to Harry, who was keeping a close eye on the sirens.

“Legend, or history, depending on how you look at it, always assumes the sirens evolved into us, the Veela. And it's true, we are descendants of these ugly hussies. And of course, as these things work, both groups existed, for a while. But you see, the sirens knew their time was up. We are so much more adaptable, than they are. Because we don't look like _that,_ ” **_She_ **said in disgust, and pointed at the sirens, who seemed to have lost all their appetite.

**_She_ **continued. “We are far more powerful, and we don't eat people.”

“What did you mean by _The Old World_?” Harry asked, and maintained a vigilant eye on the sirens, who were slowly retreating. Eventually, he sheathed his sword.

**_She_ **turnedto Harry, her demeanour completely serious. “It's not my place to tell you, _mon amour._ ”

And with that Fleur took a deep breath, and her eyes turned back to their blue. She leaned in for Harry to embrace her. “How do you think _maman_ will react, when I tell her I've met actual sirens?” she asked, and gazed into his eyes.

Harry smiled at her. “Envious, would be my guess. After what you've told me of her, this would be the kind of thing she'd enjoy.”

Fleur chuckled. “ _Oui,_ Harry. You're right.”

“How'd you find me?” Harry asked, and turned around to leave.

Fleur pointed to the river. “A helpful little Naiad told me.”

“A nymph?” Harry asked sceptically.

Fleur gave him a funny look. “Is that any less probable than finding a siren, of all things?”

“I suppose not,” Harry conceded.

The pair of them quickly travelled the ravine, and found both their horses where they'd left them. They mounted, and found the road, just as their group arrived. Lily smiled at her son, while Bellatrix, and Nym were a little annoyed.

“Something happened, didn't it?” Nym asked when Harry and Fleur had rejoined the group.

“What makes you say that?” Harry asked innocently.

“You have that look,” Bellatrix informed her lover.

Harry laughed at that, and relayed the story of what happened.

000000

“Whew!” Sirius blew a raspberry. “Sirens! I knew they were around, but I've never met one.”

“Be glad, you ass,” Amelia told him. “You'd be a goner in five seconds.”

“She has you there, Padfoot,” James said with a chuckle. He turned to his son. “You really weren't affected, Harry?”

“No. The Allure doesn't affect me. Can't even feel it.”

“He's really strong, Mr. Potter,” Fleur said, with barely restrained pride.

After that, conversation was minimal, as the group was moving at a rather brisk pace. It was early in the afternoon, but they still had a ways to go, before they reached the Potter villa, and James had reiterated his desire to reach home, before dark.

A couple of hours, before they would reach home, Harry spotted a sign, pointing to a large villa, nestled into the foothills of one of the mountains to the north. Bellatrix noted it as well. It read: _Black_

Harry, and Bella stopped by the sign, and Lily gave them a firm nod, and meant to stop as well, but Harry motioned for her and the rest to move on. Bella stared at the sign, with obvious anger. Harry put a hand on her shoulder.

“Are you alright?”

“Would you be?” she asked coldly.

“Probably not,” Harry answered, and squeezed her shoulder gently.

Bella put her heels into her horses flanks, and got going again. “Don't worry, Harry. I won't seek them out, but if they come after me, or any of my precious people, I'll hold nothing back. They'll feel the full brunt of my wrath.”

Harry simply nodded. “As well they should.”

Once Harry and Bella had caught up to the group again, Sirius' face was unusually... _serious_. “You'll meet them soon enough, Bellatrix. They haven't changed much, that lot. Controlling, scheming. The usual.”

“I reckoned they hadn't,” Bella said. “Is your brother here?”

“Yes, he's here,” Sirius confirmed. “Well, not 'here' here. He lives in the north east. Wanted a fresh start, and nothing to do with any of them. I wrote him, once, and he wrote back and welcomed me to this place, and asked me to leave him alone.”

“A fresh start,” Bella mused. “Quite a lot of that happening, lately.”

Eventually, they reached the Potter villa, around sundown. It wasn't as far away from the road, as the Black's was, but far enough, that there was a measure of privacy. Harry let his eyes roam over the exterior as they rode north, along the cyprus tree- lined pathway to the villa. It looked Roman; the large house was built in a U shape, around a large courtyard, and the roof was tiled with red clay, and the walls were white. In the middle of the courtyard, there was a large fountain.

Harry sniffed the air, and turned his head to the east, the barest scent of sulphur on the light breeze. Ah, so the island was volcanic. Captain Eivör had failed to mention that. Once the group had made their way into the courtyard, a pair of workers came rushing out of the house, to take care of their horses.

“Harry, I'm afraid we don't have an owlery, but I'm sure your owl can find a nice tree to settle in,” Lily said, and gave Hedwig a smile. Hedwig didn't move an inch, and merely stared at the redhead.

Nym snorted. “Yeah, that's not happening, Lily. That bird goes where Harry goes. She owns him, you see. At least, he seems to do as she tells him.”

“So, is anyone hungry?” James asked, and Harry could hear his father's stomach grumble.

“Yeah, famished!” Nym exclaimed happily.

Lily laughed at the young woman's exuberance. “Let's get you settled in, and then, we can eat. I've been watching you lot walk about, and I can tell you're sore. There's a hot spring, in the hills behind the villa, about a fifteen minute walk. I suggest we go have a dip, before we go to bed.”

“A grand idea, Lils!” Sirius said, and put a hand across Amelia's shoulders. “Won't that be fun, Amelia?”

“Behave!” the former head of the DMLE growled, though she didn't remove Sirius' arm. The pair drifted away, toward the main villa, speaking in low voices.

James said something to a worker, who darted off at once. Then he turned to his wife. “Do you mind showing them to their rooms? I'd like to put our things away.”

“Of course, love,” Lily answered with a smile.

Lily led the group toward the guest wing, which held six rooms, all fully furnished. She assigned Bella, Fleur, and Nym to their rooms. Harry looked at his mum, a clear question in his eyes.

“You're my son. You are staying at the main villa, Harry, with us, your parents.”

She turned back to the threesome. “Dinner will be served in half an hour,” Lily informed them. “If you take off your armours, and dirty clothes and leave them out in the hallway, the maids will take care of them for you.”

Lily gave them a nod, before she set off toward the main house. Harry shrugged, reached into the Bag, and retrieved what he needed to freshen up, and then left the Bag with his lovers, and hurried after his mother, who showed him to his room. It was a simple, spacious room, with a bed, and a dresser, and a mirror on one wall. There was a back door, that led to the garden, and the one window offered a view of the same garden.

“Here we are, Harry,” she said. “Your father and I are at the end of the hall, and Sirius and Amelia are next to us. I'll see you at dinner.”

000000

Dinner was a fairly straight forward affair, and it was clear to Harry, that everyone's mind was already on the hot springs, and what it would do to their aching muscles. They finished eating, and the Potters led them through a back door, and onto a well worn path, that led into the hills, below a fairly tall mountain. Hedwig flew on ahead, disappearing into the darkness.

They had been walking for a while, when Nym noted Harry was looking a bit troubled. She grabbed his hand, and slowed him down a bit, to allow the rest of the group to get ahead a little.

“What is it, Harry?”

“They're going to see, Nym.”

“See what?” Nym asked. Then she understood. Harry had told his parents in very roughly terms, about what had happened after Sirius had 'left'. No details. Harry's quite numerous scars would raise all sorts of questions.

“Oh, Sweetie,” she said with a sad smile. “They were bound to discover them one day. What does it matter if it's now, or later? It won't be any easier. In fact, I'd bet it'll only become harder, the longer you put off talking about what's happened to you.”

Harry nodded, after a while. “You're right. I'm just a bit tired of always shocking people.”

Nym smiled her impish smile at that. “That won't ever stop, Wonder Boy, I promise you that. You're always going to be who you are, and that involves putting yourself in harm's way for others, and getting hurt, and doing the impossible.”

“Hey, you two!” Sirius yelled. “Get a move on!”

“Relax, you git! My friend and I are having an adult conversation!” Nym yelled right back.

“Is that so?” Fleur asked. “I thought there had to be an adult present, for it to be an 'adult' conversation.”

“Don't worry Fleur,” Harry said. “I'm sure I'll get there, eventually. Not so sure about Nym, though. That ship may already have sailed.”

“Oi!” Nym growled, and hit Harry in the arm, who feigned being grievously hurt.

“Is it always like this?” Lily asked Bella and Fleur, while eyeing Harry and Nym messing about.

“With those two? Yes,” Bella informed Lily. “Like two peas in a pod.”

No one noticed Sirius frown at the sight of his godson, and cousin playing around. He really needed to have a conversation with her, and find out what was happening between them.

The hot spring was a large, steaming hot natural pool. According to James, someone had, at some point redirected a large stream of cold water into, which made a section of it great for bathing and relaxing.

There were no actual dressing rooms, but a pair of large boulders served just as well. Each person had brought with them a pair of towels; one for the bath, and one for drying themselves, afterwards. Harry followed his father, and Sirius, and the older men disrobed quickly, and wrapped their lower torso with the towels.

“Come on, Harry!” Sirius said jovially. “Not shy, are you?”

Harry just forced a grin, and waved them off. “No. Go on, I'll be right there.”

Meanwhile, the five women were busy removing their own clothes. Lily kept stealing glances at her three guests, and had to admit to be feeling more than a little self conscious. Oh, she knew her body was absolutely fine. Her training kept her in top shape, and since Amelia arrived, and showed an aptitude for the sword, they often trained together, and Lily had never felt better.

But looking at Bellatrix, and Fleur, and not to mention, Tonks, who could practically become whatever she wanted to be (within reason), she honestly had to wonder how some women seemed to have it all. They were absolutely, and utterly gorgeous. She stole a glance at Amelia, and noted her friend was probably feeling the same. Lily felt a little vindicated, at that.

The women appeared from around the boulder, and quickly entered the water, and Bella let out a long, drawn out moan. “Finally! I've dreamt about a bath for so long!”

“As have I,” Fleur said, and sighed blissfully.

“I'm glad,” Lily said, and leaned back, against the bank. “A woman should always have access to a proper bath.”

“Damn straight!” Tonks growled, and her hair kept cycling between every colour of the rainbow.

Then James, and Sirius came wading toward them. James sat down next to his wife, while Sirius made himself comfortable, with Amelia.

“Where's Harry?” Bella asked.

“Right here,” came Harry's voice, as he came from around the boulder, the towel wrapped low, around his waist. He tried to look casual, as he approached the water, but he could feel his parent's eyes on him. He made his way over to the steps that had been hewn into the rock, knowing it would reveal his back to them, and sure enough, he heard his mother gasp.

Harry entered the pool, and slowly approached the group. “Not pretty, is it?”

Lily felt ill. “Harry, what-”

“A lot has happened, mum. You don't fight a war on your own, for almost a year, without getting hurt.”

“Harry, some of those wounds would have been fatal,” Sirius said, and glared at his godson.

“Yeah, well. I have a good friend, who patched me up, a couple of times,” Harry said, and gave Nym a bright smile.

“On your own?” James queried. “You mean to say, that you took on Voldemort on your own? That wasn't just some kind of phrase?”

“No. I was given the tools to fight him, to search for and find the Horcruxes. I couldn't bring myself to expose my friends and loved ones to their evil. So, I took it upon myself. And I'm glad I did, dad. Werewolves, vampires. Dementors. They wouldn't have survived.”

“And they let you?” Lily asked incredulously.

“We couldn't find him,” Nym supplied. “He was never seen in wizarding Britain, except when he was fighting against Riddle.”

Amelia turned a surprised glance at her former Auror. “You couldn't find him? But his wand? The trace? Simply delay the deactivation...”

“He didn't have it,” Nym said. “He did most of his fighting, using just the armbraces he wears.”

“It's ridiculously easy to elude wizards, who are looking for you, Amelia,” Harry said. “Stay away from most magical places, and they won't find you. I mean, London is a big city. As is Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow. Easy to disappear. I almost exclusively stayed at Muggle hotels, whenever I didn't feel like spending the night at the Stronghold.”

“But you healed his back!” Lily almost screamed at Nym. “You should have stopped him! Tied him down, if you had to!” Lily was shaking with emotion.

James looked like he was about to say something, as well, when Sirius put a hand on his shoulder, and stopped him. “We'll talk about it some other time, everyone. We're all tired. Let's all just have a good soak, relax, and go to bed.”

It was sound advice, and everyone agreed. They spent nearly an hour in the pool, before going back. When they reached the villa, Sirius took Nym aside, and told her he needed to talk to her, when the others had fallen asleep. Nym took one look at her cousin's fierce eyes, and agreed immediately.

000000

Lily sat against the headboard of her marriage bed, feeling extremely troubled. Her son. Her baby boy, looked like some of the most hardened veterans of the Adventurer's guild. Or a soldier, who'd seen a dozen campaigns. How could that have happened?

“Lils?”

“What's happened to our son, James... Who fights a war on his own? Who is that reckless? I need answers!”

James pulled his wife to him, and hugged her close. He wasn't any happier than her, but Lily had always been so much more emotional, than him.

“We do need answers, I agree, but we won't get them by forcing anyone,” James said. “I think we just need to be patient, and Harry and the others will tell us, when they're ready.”

“Patience has never been my strong suit, James,” Lily said, and turned away from her husband, to go to sleep.

Some time later, Lily woke up, with a start. She blinked her eyes a few times, and stared at the ceiling. She lay there for a few moments, but realized she wouldn't be getting any more sleep that night. She threw on a robe, and quit the room, and made her way to the garden.

She walked barefoot on the grass, and the feeling soothed her. She took a deep breath, taking in the scents of all the different kinds of flowers and herbs Eyrún grew in that amazing garden. Eventually, she had wandered to the part of the garden, that was next to the sleeping quarters, and she stopped cold, when she heard a woman's voice come from her son's room. Bellatrix?

She stealthily crept up the stairs that led to Harry's room, and stole a peak through the window. Harry was asleep, but Bellatrix was sitting on the bed, his head cradled in her lap, and she ran her fingers through his hair. Lily noted her son's face was pallid, and sickly looking.

“Shhh, my love,” she said in a gentle voice. “Everything's alright. I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere. Neither is Nymphadora, or Fleur. We're all fine, darling. We'll never leave you. We love you. Don't you know? You're stuck with us, and no one,” and with that, she turned her head, and stared right at Lily. “is going to take us away from you.”

She gently removed Harry's head from her lap, and walked over to the door, and out onto the small balcony. “Look after him, Hedwig,” Bella whispered, and closed the door.

“We need to talk, Lily. Go wake your husband. I'll fetch Fleur, and we'll go see my cousin, and niece.”

000000

In another part of the garden, sitting at a table, two cousins were starting a conversation.

“Alright, Sirius. I'm here. What did you want to talk about?” Nym asked, but in truth, she knew exactly what this conversation would be about.

“Are you and Harry together?” Sirius asked, without delay.

“Yes.”

Taken slightly aback by Nym's lack of denial, Sirius crossed his arms. “Really? I always thought you and Moony had something.”

Nym was starting to really regret not going into more detail, earlier, when they'd gone over the years since Sirius had been away.

“We did, Sirius. We were married, actually. Then he died.”

Sirius was gobsmacked. “You and Remus married? Wait. Moony is dead?”

Nym sighed. “Yes. A Dementor got her hands on him, and sucked out his soul. I asked Bella to ease his suffering.”

Sirius was silent for a moment, before nodding. “He would have preferred that.” He suddenly grinned. “So, you married old Wolfie, eh?”

Nym smiled. “Yeah, I did, and we had a wonderful year together, as a married couple, despite everything.”

They sat together in silence, before Sirius decided to keep going. “How did you and my godson become a thing?”

“Do you remember, back when Harry first came to Headquarters?”

“Sure. He was a broody mess, angry with his friends, and wanted to be alone. Couldn't blame him, really. Ron and Hermione kind of ditched him.”

“Yeah, they did. Anyway, I had been stationed at Privet Drive a few times, and developed this slight crush on Harry, and it only got worse, when he was finally allowed to come to Grimmauld. And over the years, it turned into love, Sirius. Apparently, Remus had always known, that Harry was in my heart.”

“And Moony was fine with that?” Sirius asked, baffled.

“Oh, I loved Remus, too, and had accepted that nothing would ever happen, between Harry and me. However, a couple of days after Remus died, I found a letter he'd left for me, where he told my to follow my heart, and allow myself to seek Harry out.”

“And what, you just told him you were in love with him, and boom, you're a couple?” Sirius asked, doubtfully.

“Well, to start with, he shared my crush, so there were already mutual feelings around. The thing is, Harry's love life is a little complicated,” Nym said, and her hair turned dark grey.

“Complicated?” Sirius asked. “How?”

Nym took a deep breath. “Harry's involved with six women, and the seventh hasn't revealed herself, yet.”

Sirius stared open mouthed at his cousin. “Seven women, Tonks? Do you know how bonkers that sounds?”

Nym scoffed. “Of course I do. But if you think this is weird, just wait until I tell you who the rest of the women are.”

A sly smile wormed its way onto Sirius' face. “Let me guess. Ginny, Hermione, and maybe those three Chasers. Johnson, Spinnet, and Bell.”

Nym tilted her head. “That's not a bad guess, actually. In a different story, that might have worked out... But no, it's none of those. Harry has a penchant for... older women.”

The grin still in place, Sirius leaned forward. “Older women? Who are they, then?”

“Why were you in my son's bedroom, Bellatrix?” Lily's voice came floating on the breeze, then, to Sirius and Tonks.

“Whenever Harry has a particularly trying day, in regards to his emotions, he tends to have nightmares. It has been a pair of very strenuous days, in that regard.”

Sirius gave Nym a look, and his cousin simply nodded. Sirius stared at her, crestfallen. Harry and Bellatrix? Surely not. It was impossible. It was...

“I know how you feel, Sirius,” Nym said sympathetically.

“Harry is incredibly strong, Mrs. Potter,” Sirius and Nym, heard Fleur say. “But in some ways, he is very broken, and needs all the love we can give him.”

The group finally came upon the two cousins. Sirius stood from his chair, and walked over to Bellatrix. He simply stared at her in a way, that told Bella he knew about her relationship with his godson.

“I love him, Sirius. More than anything. I would gladly give my life for his, as I know he would, for me.”

James was confused. His wife hadn't told him anything about what was happening, but merely woken him up, and told him to come along. Bellatrix was in love with his son?

“How did that happen?” He asked the older witch.

Bellatrix smiled wistfully. “Harry broke the compulsions placed upon me, thereby rescuing me from my captors. However, in order for my mind to withstand the ordeal, he placed a compulsion of his own, on me. It helped me heal, but I never told him just how deep the connection actually went.”

“Explain,” Sirius demanded.

Bella's eyes twinkled. “I couldn't read his mind, or anything like that, but I could feel what he felt, and I learned very soon, that Harry was the polar opposite of Riddle, in every respect. Kind, honest, and selfless. Brave, strong, nurturing. I began falling in love with him, almost immediately.”

Bella frowned, then. “There was more. He felt broken, full of loneliness and suffering. Fear. Desperation.”

“Fear of what?” Lily asked softly.

“Of being abandoned, Lily,” Bella said, and sighed deeply. “Fear of losing everyone. It's the biggest reason why he tried to fight that war by himself. He needed to know his loved ones would be there, once it was done.”

“Bloody Dursleys,” Sirius muttered darkly.

“My sister has a lot to answer for, it seems,” Lily said coldly, and clenched her fists in anger.

Her husband wrapped his arms around her, from behind, and kissed her hair. “There's nothing we can do about that now, Lils. All we can do, is give Harry our love, and be there for him.”

“ _Oui,_ ” Fleur said in agreement. “That's what _mon amour_ needs.”

Sirius eyed the French beauty, and arched an eyebrow Nym's way, then looked over to his friends, who were staring at Fleur. “So, what's this about Harry, and his Harem of Seven Witches?” he asked.

“Pardon?” Lily asked incredulously.

“Apparenly, Harry will love seven women, whose love will aid him in weathering the coming storm,” Nym informed her Lily and James.

“Yes, that's right,” Bella said with a nod, and picked up the thread. “A centaur told us about this foretelling, but Cissy, and Andie were wary of the words 'the coming storm'. What's coming?”

Sirius had stumbled over Bella's mentioning of her sisters, and decided to ask, although, he did so, in a somewhat roundabout manner. “Has Harry found all seven women?”

Bella smiled, then. “He had found three, when my sisters and I were given the foretelling. We were told, that aside from us three, he would be approached by the Owl, Chameleon, Swallow, and the Cat.”

“Wait, wait, wait a bloody minute!” Sirius growled. “Did I hear you right? Harry's involved with not only you, Bella, but _all three_ Black sisters?”

“Yes,” Bella said simply.

“And me,” Nym said. “I'm obviously the Chameleon.”

“ _Aussi bien que moi_ ,” Fleur confirmed. “The Swallow.”

Harry's parents were in a state of shock. It seemed that, no matter where they looked, in regards to their son, it was always something spectacular. Normal simply wasn't a factor in any conversation, regarding Harry.

“That makes five,” they heard Sirius confirm. “Who are the other two?”

Nym grinned at her cousin. “The Owl hasn't been found, yet, but the Cat was discovered very soon after Harry destroyed the Horcrux in the Diadem. He found both at Hogwarts, actually.”

Lily was racking her brain, but could only come up with one person, who would fit the cat metaphor. A person, whose Animagus form was a cat, as well as her Patronus. It was preposterous, but then again, this was Harry, they were talking about.

“Minerva?” she whispered, more to herself, than anything.

“What?” Sirius asked, wide eyed. “Don't be daft, Lily.”

“Yeah, that does sound unlikely, even with everything we've learned,” James agreed.

“And yet, your wife has the right of it, James,” Bella said with a smile.

Sirius gawped at his cousin, then began rubbing his temples. “I'm getting a headache...”

“Do you have any idea, who the Owl is?” Lily asked, after a while.

“No, we don't,” Nym told Lily. “But I have a feeling we'll find her here, somewhere.”

000000

A raven flew on swift wings through the air, a small disk grasped in its beak. It had been travelling for a while, not stopping. The Mistress had told it to move as fast as it could. The place the target was dwelling in, came into view, and the animal beat its wings faster.

It swooped in through the right window, and landed on the desk. It dropped the disk on top of it, and was about to leave, when a movement on top of the headboard caught its eye. It turned its head, and stared, and the snowy white owl stared right back. The stare went on for a little while, before the raven dipped its head in reverence, and left.

Hedwig made her way over to the desk, and examined the disk. A summons. She returned to her vigil of Harry, her eyes intent on the disk. She would learn in the morning, what it was.

Harry woke up, some time later, feeling rather well rested. He rose from the bed, and stretched his muscles. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and simply listened to the world around him. He could hear all the animals he expected; mice, birds, and a few others. He reined in his senses, and turned to his friend, who had moved to the desk.

“Good morning, Hedwig,” he said, and gave her a smile. “How are you, this morning?”

_Fine, Harry._ Came the message. _This came for you, in the night._

Harry looked at what she was referring to, and approached the table to examine it. It was a golden disk, engraved with a pair of wings, that were slightly raised from the surface. He picked it up, and turned it this way and that, until he figured out how to use it. He grasped the edge, with one hand, while the fingers of the other took hold of the wings.

Harry gasped in pain, and mostly surprise, as a needle of some kind pricked his palm, and a drop of blood fell onto the disk. “Well, that was stupid,” he growled, annoyed with himself. He brought the disk to his nose, but could only smell gold, and sweet, metallic smell of blood. No poison, at least. Then the disk began glowing, and a voice recording echoed through the room.

_The Lady requests your presence. Travel to Starling Cliffs, as soon as you're able. The disk only grants you safe passage in the Land of the Celestials, so come alone._

With the message done, the disk stopped glowing. Harry put it down onto the desk, and stared at it for a while. Was he going to comply with this? He quickly got dressed, in his khaki shirt and pants, this time. He put the disk into his pocket, and made his way to the door, and Hedwig landed on his shoulder, as usual.

He walked down the corridor, to the dining hall, but found no one. He grabbed an apple, and pulled out his pocket knife, and began eating it, as he made his way to the back of the house, where he heard some commotion.

His lovers, were training, and were pretty engrossed in their work. James was giving Bellatrix some pointers on her wand, while Sirius had Fleur's bow in his hand, obviously offering her some sage advice, strange as it sounded. Tonks and Nym were sparring, off to the side, and Harry's eyes lingered for a while, and he could tell Nym's form was growing better by the day. And finally, his mother was by herself, battering a dummy with a training sword.

Noting a rack, full of wooden swords, Harry went and fetched one, before walking to his mother. “Fancy a spar, mum?”

Without breaking stride, Lily twirled in a circle, and swiped her sword at Harry, who leaned back, and allowed the sword to almost graze his neck, before he did a quick thrust, with his own weapon, forcing his mother to parry.

Lily grinned, rushed forward, and attacked her son with a ferocity, that came as a surprise to the boy, initially. They advanced and retreated, ducked and dived. Slashed and struck, thrust and parried. It went on for a while, but inevitably, Lily gained the upper hand. As fast and strong as Harry was, he simply couldn't compete with his mother's vastly superior experience. Eventually, Lily performed some kind of manoeuvre Harry had never seen, and onto his back he fell, only to find the tip of his mother's sword at his throat.

“I yield,” Harry said, and rolled his weapon away.

Lily smiled at her son, and offered him her hand up, which he accepted with his thanks. “This was a great spar, Harry,” Lily told him, and looked around. “And it seems they all enjoyed it.”

Harry let his eyes wander around the yard, and found all the others had stopped what they had been doing, in order to watch them fight.

“How is he?” James asked his wife, and approached her with a grin.

Lily eyed her son up and down with a critical eye. “Unpolished, and too reliant on his speed. Honestly, though? He knows all the basics, down to the last detail. All he really needs, is more practice, and experience.”

Sirius nodded. “Alright, Harry! Say, why don't we all sit down for a pot of tea, since Harry's up?”

A little while later, everyone was sitting at a large table in the garden, enjoying a helping of herbal tea. They were chatting lightly about everything, and nothing, but eventually, Fleur noticed Harry wasn't taking part, or very little, at least.

“ _Mon amour_ , is something wrong?” she asked, and put a hand on his thigh.

“Someone sent this to me, last night,” Harry informed her, and put the disk on the table.

“What is it?” Fleur asked, and took it in her hand, to show her future mother in law. “Lily?”

Lily took one look at it, and her eyes widened in surprise. “That's a summons by the Celestials, Fleur.” She turned her attention to Harry.

“What does it say?”

Harry shrugged. “It says 'the Lady' has requested my presence, and to head out for Starling Cliffs, as soon as I'm able. And I was to come alone.”

James frowned on the disk, and looked alarmed. “I have no idea, who that 'Lady' person is, Harry, but you have to leave for the city as soon as possible.”

Harry groaned. “Do I have to?”

“Yes,” Amelia told him. “Even the most hardened criminals go, when summoned by the Celestials.”

“Alright,” Harry said. “I suppose I should leave tomorrow, then.”

“Yes, I think you must, Harry,” Amelia said. “There's just over a month, until the gathering.”

“Right,” James confirmed. “It's almost five hundred miles, to Starling Cliffs, along the Main Road. Storm is a very fit horse, so going between thirty and forty miles, per day is reasonable. That's thirteen days, each way, give or take. Assuming everything goes smoothly.”

“Agreed,” Lily said. “That's too long.”

“Couldn't he charter a ship?” Amelia asked. “Take a ship, up to Raven's Ridge, and ride from there?”

“It would save him almost a week,” Sirius said with a nod. “Still, almost no ships are welcome in Celestial waters. Eivör, and Bjarni are the only ones, I can think of, at the top of my head. And with Bjarni dead, and Eivör probably out of the Keep, by now, I don't see it as an option.”

“Well, he could cut through the Highlands,” James pondered, with his chin in his hand. “It's not the safest route, but it does shave off a few days.”

Lily didn't look pleased, but nodded. “It should.”

“What can I expect up there?” Harry asked his parents.

Lily frowned. “Dire wolves, Dire bears, and cave trolls, among other things. Some people have even said there are dragons up there, but that's just nonsense.”

“It's not a nice place, Harry,” Lily continued. “We've been up there a few times, in our work for the Figthter's Guild. There is a path, and if you stick to it, you should be alright.”

“Fat chance of that,” Nym muttered darkly.

Harry looked at his lovers. “What's wrong?”

“It's becoming annoying, how often we're forced apart, Harry,” Bellatrix said with a sigh. “How are we supposed to help you, if we're never there?”

Harry, despite still thinking his parents were in the dark, regarding his relationship with Bella, marched over to her, and kissed her passionately.

“You're always helping me, Bella,” he assured her, when the kiss broke. He smiled at Fleur, and Nym. “You all are, simply by being in here,” he finished, and tapped his breast with his palm.

Fleur smiled a ravishing smile, and felt her heart miss a beat. He was just so... “ _Tu es une telle chérie_... You're such a sweetheart,” the Veela said.

Nym was actually blushing. Who said things like that? “Oi, Mr. Cheese! Try to be a little original, eh?”

Then, both women walked over to him, and he embraced them tightly. It never ceased to amaze the two, just how incredibly comforting it was, to be held in his embrace. Nym sought out Fleur's eyes, and the other woman looked searchingly into the Metamorph's own.

Nym raised a brow, and then Fleur understood. Yes, she was most certainly interested in doing that. After spending so much time around Nymphadora, she had begun to feel an undeniable attraction to her friend. An attraction that was quite clearly felt by the other woman, as well. But there was something more building, there was no denying that. And with Harry as a catalyst, there was no doubt in Fleur's mind, that she and Nym could have a very intense romance, if they allowed it.

It wasn't uncommon for Veela to take a female lover, since most Veela were bisexual. After all, women were so much more resistant to the Allure. Not that Nym was immune, but her threshold was quite a bit higher, than any man Fleur knew, aside from Harry, and her own father.

Of course, **_She_ **was also very interested in claiming Nym, and the thoughts, and wicked images Fleur sometimes had, when she was looking at Nym, could only come from _**Her**_. Not to mention what almost always happened, when she was looking at Harry...

When the three broke apart the embrace, Nym leaned up. “Come to my room, after sundown, Stud. I'm sure I can give you a reason to hurry back home,” she whispered.

Harry struggled to keep a straight face, and mostly succeeded, despite noticing the scalding heat in Fleur's eyes, as she stepped back, and then rejoined Sirius, for further training with the bow.

“Well, aren't you lucky,” Bella mumbled to herself, knowing full well that Harry's ears would catch it. “I just hope they won't wear you out so much, that you can't leave, tomorrow.”

“Oi!” Sirius growled. “What are you two whispering about?”

Bella glared at her cousin. “Never you mind, you menace!”

000000

After some more time of planning, and more training, Harry decided it was time for bed. He went to his room, and Hedwig leapt of his shoulder, and onto the headboard. She cooed at him, and tucked her head under her wing.

The message had said he was to come alone, but he knew Hedwig would never allow him to leave, without her. “Wise, my friend,” Harry said. “Get some rest. We'll get up early in the morning.”

Harry quit the room, and made his way over to the guest wing. While he was walking over there, he kept wondering, just how much rest he, himself was going to get that night. He arrived at Nym's door, and knocked.

“Come in, lover boy,” came Nym's husky voice.

Harry entered the room, and was struck speechless. Nym and Fleur were lying on the bed, naked as the day they were born. Harry stared at the perfection before him, and couldn't move an inch.

“Close the door, _Chérie_ ,” Fleur said with a smile.

That jolted Harry out of his reverie, and he did indeed close the door. “What did I do, to deserve something like this?” he asked, and walked over to the bed.

“Wadda ya mean, Hero?” Nym asked, with a grin. “We can't spend a night with our man, just because?”

The two women rose from the bed, and Fleur pulled Harry in for a steaming kiss, while she unbuttoned his shirt. Nym pulled it off, and began tracing his shoulders, and neck with small, wet kisses, while Fleur kept ravishing his mouth.

They broke apart, and there was a quick second, where Fleur's eyes flashed black, and Harry could feel Nym's trembling hands grasp his shoulders, and hear her moan. “I hope you're as strong as you seem, darling. Because, once these two are done, _**I'm**_ having my fill,” **_She_ **said, and latched onto his lips.

000000

It was just before dawn, and Harry was dressed in his armour, all packed, and ready to go. He made his way over to the stable, saddled Storm, and was about to mount, when someone stepped into the stable.

“Leaving, without saying goodbye?” the person said softly.

Harry turned around sharply. “Mum?”

“I knew you would do this,” she said, and walked up to him. “You're just like your father. Play it tough, but when it comes to goodbyes, you can't handle them. You start crying like a baby,” she said, her voice trembling, a little bit.

“I'll be fine, Mum,” Harry said, and embraced his mother. “I'm not helpless, you know.”

“Just promise me you'll be careful, Sweetheart. I just found you, again. I can't lose you.”

Harry released her. “No chance of that happening, Mum. I'll be back, before you know it.”

With that, Harry led his horse from the stable, mounted, and set off, with Hedwig soaring above. Lily heard James come up behind her, and felt a hand on her shoulder. Not James, but Sirius.

“They really are alike, he and James,” Lily said.

“Not that much, Lils. He's much more like you, than Prongs,” Sirius said. “Back when I met him, during his third year, I thought the same, but I quickly found out the truth. He may look like his father, but everything else, is you.”

“Really?” Lily turned around, and looked at Sirius, who nodded.

“Yes, without a doubt. What he did for Bella and Cissy, for example. James wouldn't have, nor I. You would have, though.”

Lily sighed. “Will he be alright?”

Sirius grinned. “Of course! Harry's a man of his word. And he had three beautiful women, to return home to. No man would ever let something stop him from coming back.”

Lily laughed at her friend. Sirius could be infuriating, a lot of the time, but often, he knew just what to say to lift her spirits.

000000

Harry was making good time, and saw the Black estate, some distance ahead. The path he was to take, diverged off the Main Road, about a mile from the path, up to the Black villa. When Harry went past the gate, he stopped again, to stare up at the estate. He just knew he would meet those degenerates, at the gathering. There would be a reckoning, he promised himself.

Harry quickly set off, again, and soon he found the path, that would take him into the Highlands. It wound up a narrow valley, next to a large river. Harry eyed the sky, then the river, and became annoyed. The island was very warm, and not a single mountain he had seen thus far, had any snow in them. Or glaciers. That left only one thing, that could have made those rivers. Rain. And for the rivers to be as many as they obviously were, and that large, Thule was clearly very wet.

Harry eventually ascended the valley, and onto the plateau. To the east, he could see two large mountains his father had mentioned.

_“Sometimes, Harry, the first part of the path can be a little hard to follow. If that happens, just remember to keep a pair of two large mountains you can see, as soon as you leave the valley, to your right.”_

Following his father's advice, Harry made sure to keep the mountains to the east, for the first day, which went, without incident. That first night, he slept like a baby, knowing Hedwig was watching over him, ever vigilant. And he dreamt, as he often did, of his lovers. They were everything to him. Life without them, was meaningless.

He needed to get back home. With each passing day, he felt a greater need to find a way. His heart felt as if it was missing a few pieces. It ached for Andie, Cissy, and Minerva.

He rose before dawn, and set out, once again. The terrain became rougher, and almost completely bare. A barren, volcanic desert. Lava fields. Harry was a little surprised, that the it was all so bare, considering how wet these highlands were. Then, as he travelled on, his mind wandered back to his Herbology classes.

While most of her classes were spent, covering the flora that could be found in the Wizarding world, there was something Madame Sprout had thumped into their heads, again, and again. There were three things that almost all plants needed, in order to grow, and thrive. Mundane, or magical. Proper, nutritious soil, water, and sunlight.

Now, the Highlands were obviously rich in both water, as well as sunlight. The problem was the soil. There hardly was any, and what little there was, wasn't dense enough to retain any water, so the only growth Harry could see, was moss.

It wasn't until the night of the third day, that Harry encountered another living being, aside from Hedwig. He had just managed to light his fire, beneath a large rock formation, when he smelled something on the wind, and then he heard a howl, followed by a few more. Wolves. In numbers, it seemed. Great.

Storm was becoming restless, and Harry could practically smell the fear, which increased, when the next batch of howls pierced the darkness. The black stallion reared, and broke the leather strap Harry had used to tie him to a nearby rock, and bolted into the night.

Cursing, Harry reached for his Bag, and extracted a bow he'd taken from his parent's armoury, and buckled on the quiver. He pulled a few times on the string, and while it wasn't quite as good as the bow he'd given Fleur, it was very well crafted. He nocked an arrow.

Then Harry saw the wolves approach. Seven large beasts, coming in from all directions. They were clearly Dire wolves. Looking at them, Harry thought they had to weigh at least half a ton, if not more. The beasts slowly approached, their eyes glowing in the moonlight, spittle dripping from their fangs.

He quickly let fly, catching one of the wolves in the chest. Harry was forced to drop the bow, and roll out of the way, as the rest of the beasts attacked as one. He came out of the roll, drew his sword, and managed to thrust it into another wolf.

A wolf came up behind him, and jumped onto his back, and Harry reached back, to grab it by the scruff of the neck, before it bit his head off. Quick as a flash, he turned in a semi circle, and felt the impact, as another jumped him, only to injure its own pack member.

Unable to handle the impact, Harry allowed himself to fall forwards, his sword swiping at the wolf, waiting to attack him, and it retreated, along with the wolves that were still alive. Four of them. Hedwig swooped down then, and one of the wolves was distracted by her, which afforded Harry the chance to leap at it, and sever its head from its body.

Only three, now. The beasts circled him slowly, before one of them stopped, and let out a howl, and the other two followed it, as it fled. Harry cautiously approached each of the fallen animals, and found they were all dead, except the one that had been injured by its companion. Harry reached down, and cut its throat, and finished it. No need to let it suffer any more, than it needed to.

Hedwig left for a hunt, while Harry made his way over to his camp, and put out the fire, knowing very well, that he wasn't going to get any sleep that night. Once he had retrieved his bow, and that one arrow, he sat down by his bedroll, and set about cleaning his sword. A few minutes later, he heard someone approach, and whoever it was, was leading two horses.

“Ho, there, traveller!” came a woman's voice.

A young woman stepped around the rocks, leading Storm, and her own horse, presumably, by the reins, and they followed her, without hesitation. She was slender, almost delicate, Harry thought. She had long, straight black hair, and she wore a fur lined, sleeveless leather jerkin, that barely covered half her thighs, a pair of leather arm braces, as well as a pair of leather, laced up sandals.

“Ho, yourself,” Harry said, and stood up. “I see you've brought my horse. You have my thanks.”

She smiled kindly. “Think nothing of it, young man.”

Young man? She looked to be his age, and she was calling him young man? The woman looked around, and surveyed the carnage, and to Harry's surprise, she smiled. She looked satisfied.

“You did well, against a fierce enemy,” she said, and turned to look at him. “Now it is _I_ who owes _you_ thanks.”

Harry wasn't following. “For what?”

“For removing a few of those... _perversions_ from the world,” she replied coldly. “They are unnatural, and do not belong anywhere, except the deepest pits of Tartarus.”

“Unnatural? How so?”

“They were created by a wicked god, once, to fiddle with the natural order of things. Revenge, it was. Wolves, while predatory, aren't supposed to be mindless killing machines.”

“Yeah,” Harry agreed. “I thought it was strange. Wolves do not attack humans, unless directly provoked.”

“Indeed.”

“Who are you, by the way?” Harry asked suddenly, and bent down to pick up his sword, and cleaning rag.

The unknown woman looked crestfallen. “I beg your pardon, for my rudeness. I am Artemis.”

Harry stared. “As in daughter of Zeus, and Leto? Twin sister of Apollo?”

“Yes.”

Harry didn't really know how to react, to such news. But, it wasn't any stranger than some of what had happened, after coming to that place. “Riiight. So... Nothing fun happening on Mt. Olympus?”

Artemis scoffed at that. “I never stay there. I don't much like my fellow gods. They're lazy and complacent.” She pursed her lips. "Most of them, at least."

Harry just shrugged, not having an answer to something like that. “Well, anyway my name's Harry. Could I ask you, what you're doing here?”

Artemis tied the horses to the same rock Harry had tied Storm to, earlier. Then she removed her own bedroll from her saddle and placed it on the ground. She sat down on it, snapped her fingers, and lit the fire. She motioned for Harry to sit down, opposite her.

“A few days ago, a rumour reached my ears, that a dragon might be roaming these skies, Harry, and I set out to investigate. So far, I've been unable to discover anything conclusive.”

“I've heard that rumour, and I don't think there's anything to it. I mean, wouldn't people have seen it, by now?”

Artemis agreed. “Normally, I would agree with you, but I can ill afford, not to investigate. Some dragon have the ability to hide very effectively. A dragon can cause massive damage, not to mention end countless lives.”

“Yeah, that's true,” Harry said. “But where would we go next, to look for it?”

Artemis gave him a strange look. “ _We_?”

Harry nodded. “Yes. If there's a monster, that may threaten this place, then I'll do my part, in dealing with it.”

Before Artemis could answer, Hedwig returned, and swooped down, to land on her human's shoulder. Artemis stared at the snowy white owl, for a moment, very surprised. Now, wasn't this interesting. And he didn't even seem to know... Well, it wasn't her business. In any case...

“I thank you for your offer, Harry, and gladly accept. If nothing else, I could use the company. I so rarely meet anyone interesting.”

Harry was a little embarrassed. “I'm not that interesting.”

“Oh? And why do you say that, Harry?” she asked in a flirty voice, and gazed into his eyes, her own a warm brown.

“I don't know... Don't want to sound full of myself?”

Artemis leaned her head back, and laughed. “Good answer. Now, where are you from, if you don't mind my asking.”

“Britain.”

“Ah. And how did you find yourself here? I mean, how did you die?”

Harry was slightly taken aback. She certainly didn't hold back. “I didn't die, exactly. I came here through a... Gate, with some friends. We arrived here, on the western continent, but no Gate was in sight, and no one I've spoken with, has heard of one.”

Artemis gazed into the fire. The lad hadn't died. He shouldn't be there, strictly speaking. And none of his companions, either. This presented her with an opportunity to pay him back for his help. While she wasn't allowed to directly aid him, because of the rules, set by her father, she could hint at something, and make him find the Gate on this side, by himself.

“This place,” Harry began. “It's a little strange. I mean, there are things here. Things people in my world believe to be legends. Sirens, for example. Nymphs. Elves. Orcs. Dwarves. Could you tell me where I am, exactly?”

Artemis was silent a while, then answered. “The Otherworld. A part of it, called Tír na nÓg.”

Harry simply nodded, having already suspected her answer. Well it didn't matter, in the end. He wasn't staying, after all.

“I think it's time we went to bed, Harry,” Artemis remarked, sensing he wasn't in a very talkative mood, any more.

000000

The following morning, Harry and Artemis set out, with the Goddess of the Hunt in the lead, since she knew the area much better than Harry did. There was a mountainous area to the north east of that part of the Highlands, that was known to have a number of large caves. The area was rich in precious metals, and there was a small mine in operation there, and a small settlement, inhabited by orcs and humans.

Two days later, they came upon the village. What was left of it. It was nothing but smouldering ruins, bodies strewn about, some burned beyond recognition. Even the stone had melted completely, in some places, and some of the sand, had turned to glass. Artemis eyed it all grimly. There was no doubt, regarding the validity of the dragon rumour, any more. No mortal could create fire that hot, without the aid of magic.

“You think it's in the mountains?” Harry asked, and bent down to pick up a piece of melted rock. The familiar pain lanced through his head, and he fell to his knees, as he was afforded a front row seat, to the showing of the carnage, through the eyes of the dragon. And yes, in the end, Harry did indeed, discover the beast had gone to the mountains.

“Harry, are you alright?” Artemis asked, in alarm, and helped him to his feet.

Harry nodded, and fought to catch his breath. “I will be.” He pointed north. “It's in a cave, high in those mountains. Only question is, how good are you at climbing, because the only way to reach the lair, is by scaling a near vertical cliff face.”

The goddess stared. “How do you know this?”

“A vision,” Harry said, and pointed to his temple. He walked over to a small boulder, and sat down. “I'm hunting three pieces of a madman's soul, that I accidentally sent here, when we thought I'd destroyed them, back in my own world. They seem to have come here, and latched onto living beings.”

“Horcruxes?” the goddess asked, her gaze furious.

Harry tilted his head to the left. “Yeah, that's right.”

“Tell me how you sent them here,” Artemis demanded, and Harry related the story, of how he removed the Horcruxes from the diadem, cup, and locket. Artemis listened to all of it with rampant interest.

“That should have worked, Harry. Well, the good news is, that you don't have one in you, any longer.”

“Then why am I still seeing things?”

“Not sure, but travelling through the _In Between_ , should have ripped it out of you.”

Harry rubbed his temples, trying to ease his headache. “Then, if we go by that logic, the other soul pieces shouldn't have survived, either.”

“Correct, Harry,” Artemis confirmed. “That's something I need to discover. I have my suspicions. Do you know the whereabouts of the other two Horcruxes?”

“I know who one of them has taken. It has possessed a pirate, who goes by the name Aðalsteinn. He captains the Dreadnought, which could be anywhere. Don't know about the third one.”

“Hmmm. I guess I'll have my brother Hermes, keep an eye out. He's always running about, and the little bugger, is _fast_.”

Harry got up, and popped his neck. “You ready to take on the dragon? We should go after it, while it's still in the cave. We don't want it getting loose.”

Hedwig gave an alarmed hoot, which made Harry wince. He raised his arm, and she jumped onto it, and stared at him.

_Harry, this is foolish._

“I know.”

_Even with a goddess at your side, a dragon is a formidable foe. Are you sure you're ready for it?_

“I don't know, Hedwig. All I know, is that I will not allow it to destroy another village, or kill any more people. We have an opportunity, now, to do something about it.”

Hedwig stared at her human for a while longer, her steely gaze unrelenting. _Leave the Bag here, and take the shield with you. It should be strong enough, and the charms powerful enough, to withstand a blast of its fire. Please be careful, Harry. I am powerless, against such a foe._

When the owl had given her human his orders, she turned her attention to the goddess, who was watching all of it, with a bemused smile. He really didn't know...

_If something happens to my Harry, I will hunt you down, no matter where you go. The highest mountain, the deepest sea, I will find you._

Artemis sobered up, immediately, and gave Hedwig a nod. The owl was right. She did have an obligation to look after the boy. Especially, since he had no idea, just what awaited them. She had a fairly good idea of what kind of dragon could cause such destruction, and they were really rather impressive.

Artemis watched as the human boy dropped his pack onto the ground. Then, he unclasped the cape from his shoulders, and stuffed it into the bag. After rummaging around in it for a moment, he brought out a harness, which he buckled on, before reaching into the bag once again. What he brought out next, was a large kite shield, engraved with a lion.

Harry reached back with the shield, and with practised ease, latched it into the fasteners. Then he slid his sword into the small baldric, and he was set to go. Artemis simply gave him a nod, and off they went.

000000

Artemis scaled the cliff expertly, her lithe and strong body moving quickly, and gracefully. She stole a glance down, to her right, and saw Harry was keeping up with her, which surprised her. After all, he was much bigger than her, and heavier. And he was carrying that shield and sword on his back. How strong was he?

After a while, they came upon the big ledge, where the cave was, and they crept up to the entrance, each taking cover on either side of the opening. Harry closed his eyes, Listened, and could indeed hear the beast. He caught Artemis' eyes, and she nodded. Harry unsheathed his sword, and brought his shield to bear, while the goddess nocked an arrow, which began glowing with a ghostly light.

The duo etched down the corridor, closer to the lair. Dried blood caked the floor, and walls, and the occasional limb could be seen. Harry could feel small vibrations in the rock, beneath their feet. He stopped suddenly, and raised a fist, and Listened, again. The damned animal was waking up!

“Run!” Harry yelled, and darted forward, the goddess, hot on his heels. Neither of them wanted to be caught in the hallway, if the dragon decided to try and fry them. They eventually reached the main chamber of the lair, and just managed to duck out of the corridor, as a giant blast of fire came roaring their way.

Harry came out of his roll, and immediately, had to duck, as the dragon's tail came swinging. Harry's keen eyes saw some kind of liquid drip from the tip of the tail, which looked like it might not be very healthy.

“Harry, this is a Giant Red Irontail!” Artemis yelled, from the other side of the chamber, as she ran, and fired her arrows at the massive dragon. “Do not let the tip touch you! It's poisonous!”

Artemis running, and shooting her arrows, afforded Harry the briefest of moments, to explore the dragon. It was absolutely massive, and made the Ironbelly look like a child's toy. It was covered in thick, red scales, that looked completely impenetrable.

Protruding from its nose, were small spiky horns, but it had two massive ones curve out of its forehead, protecting the eyes.

Harry charged the huge reptile, cursing at how spacious the cave was, because the beast could move around completely unhindered. Harry's sharp eyes noted the tiny spaces, between the scales, and he thrust his sword, but failed to hit, and with a loud _'clang',_ his sword bounced off the scales.

Harry backed away quickly, and readied himself, as the monster wheeled around, it's yellow eyes glaring at the pesky little fly, that tried to harm it. Harry saw it take a deep breath, and knew it was about to release a blast of fire.

Harry ran to the side, his shield and sword held at the ready. The dragon let loose the flame, and Harry was barely managing to keep ahead of it. He heard Artemis shout something, and a an arrow came flying. A blinding flash flared up, and forced the beast to abruptly stop moving, and close its eyes. Harry and Artemis met, behind the dragon, their breaths laboured.

“Ideas?” Harry asked, and wiped his brow.

“Dragons have a weak spot, where the legs meet the torso, but good luck getting at them,” Artemis said, and then pushed Harry away, and jumped back, as the tail of the beast came crashing down, between them.

“Our best bet, is the eyes, Harry!” Artemis yelled, and let loose an arrow, but it struck one of the large horns, and bounced off harmlessly to the side.

“How the fuck, am I supposed to do anything with that!” Harry thundered. “I'm not fifteen feet tall!”

Artemis could certainly understand Harry's foul mood. She ducked a swipe of the dragon's tail, the poison narrowly missing her. She let loose an arrow, and it tore through a wing, causing the dragon to roar in pain, and rear slightly, on its hind leg, but it honestly didn't really have an effect. After all, its wingspan had to be almost hundred feet. A tiny hole wouldn't do anything.

A howl of pain erupted from the dragon, and Artemis saw Harry roll, from beneath it, his sword covered in red blood.

“I managed to thrust my sword up, into it's foot,” Harry informed her, and she noticed the beast was favouring the left front foot. It wasn't attacking, at that moment, for some reason, but merely watching the two warily.

“Good work!” she said with a grin. “It won't make that mistake, again, though. The Reds are very intelligent.”

“You want to retreat?” Harry asked.

“No,” Artemis said, with conviction. “We finish it, right here.”

Harry grinned. Scoring that hit, on the dragon, had raised his spirits, again. “Got it.”

Artemis saw a strange gleam form in his eyes. Oh, no. That couldn't be good. A look like that, meant he was about to do something foolish, she was certain. “What are you planning?”

Harry simply gave her an even larger grin. “Just ready an arrow.”

And then ge ran _toward_ the beast, his shield brandished in front. The dragon took a deep breath, and released a stream of flame, which Harry caught with his shield. Artemis didn't immediately catch on, but then she figured it out.

Harry was moving to the side, and the beast was following slowly, and eventually, she had a good target; its left eye. She took a deep breath, and released her arrow, and it struck true. The beast wailed in pain, and the flames stopped.

Harry didn't waste any time, and rushed in, but was forced to move to the side, when the beast, half mad with pain, blindly rushed toward the corridor, trying to escape. Artemis stepped into its way, and released an arrow, but missed, and had to roll out of the way.

“Oh, no you don't!” Harry snarled dropped the red hot shield, and rushed after it, leaving Artemis behind.

She watched as both the beast, and Harry went of the edge. She hated, just how weak she was, in this form. She ran toward the shield, and picked it up, and was about to run outside, when, a creature exploded into existence, right in front of her.

“You?” she asked, curiously, before the creature latched onto her, and exploded out of existence.

000000

The dragon was almost out of the corridor, Harry fast on its heals. The pair emerged from the hole, and the dragon ran off the edge. Harry ran after it, sheathed his sword, and managed to grab onto the tail, just above the tip.

Harry held onto the tail, with all his strength, as they plummeted toward the ground. The dragon was still screaming from the pain, and was obviously quite disoriented. Even so, it had enough presence of mind, to steady itself, and even out. And it began climbing to a higher altitude, into the clouds.

As soon as that happened, Harry began making his way along the tail. He glanced down, and couldn't believe how fast they were going; the world went by in a blur, far below. Thankfully, they were moving to the north west, toward Celestial lands, so that was a plus. The beast turned its head, and saw Harry was clinging to its tail, and that was when things went crazy.

The dragon began bucking, twisting and turning, trying to shake Harry off. Fortunately, Harry was strong enough to hold on. He moved forward, incessantly, while wondering just how he was getting out of that mess.

Harry finally found himself, on the dragon's back. He glanced forward, and saw a very mountainous area ahead. He thought he saw something, and his eyes widened. Some distance away, there was a city, cut into the cliffs of the highest peak. Starling Cliffs. And the beast was heading straight for it.

“Not on your life,” Harry muttered. He racked his brain for what to do, and eventually, landed on an idea. It would lead to his death, but if it was a choice between his life, and that of perhaps countless others, it wasn't even a choice.

Harry quickly made his way toward the head of the dragon, and stood up, his superior balance helped him stay upright. He leaned over, and saw the arrow sticking out of the dragon's eye. Harry tightened his grip on the sword, took a deep breath, and slammed the flat of his blade onto the arrow, driving it in.

The beast reared its head, but Harry was ready for it, already moving, to its other eye. He reversed his grip, and thrust his weapon into the unhurt eye as deep as he could. The beast thrashed around, for a moment, before it went completely slack, and began falling.

Harry let go of his blade, and watched as the beast fell. It was so much heavier than him, and fell much faster, but its momentum would carry it into the upper levels of the city. Harry just hoped they had seen the beast, and taken appropriate measures, and evacuated.

He turned around in the air, not wanting to see the earth moving up to meet him. The faces of his lovers flashed through his mind, their smiles lightening his heart. They'd be pissed, he knew. But also proud, he thought.

He heard the dragon plummet into the city, far below, and knew it was mere seconds before he met his end. Then, agony, the like of which Harry had never experienced before, erupted between his shoulder blades. He felt something stretching his skin, and he felt his skin tear, and whatever was bursting out of his body, somehow tore through both the chain mail, as well as the leather armour.

Two black, feathery wings unfolded on each side of Harry's body, and some foreign instinct kicked in. He turned around in the air, just managing to arch gracefully, and turn in a circle, before he landed on a large dais, just behind where the great red dragon lay, dead.

Harry made his way over to the dragon, and pulled his sword out of its eye, and turned around, only to find a group of four guards approaching, two males and two females. They were tall, and all had wings, sticking out of their backs. Celestials.

“And that, ladies, and gentlemen, is how you slay a dragon,” Harry said with a grin, trying to sound non threatening.

The guards approached warily, their faces stony. Harry felt the tension in the air, and their heartbeats were thundering. He raised his left hand slowly, and bent down, to lay his sword down. He rose again, both his hands raised, this time, palms forward.

“Hver ert þú?” one of them asked.

“Pardon?” Harry didn't understand.

“Segðu til nafns!” another demanded.

“I don't understand you,” Harry said, and shrugged his shoulders.

Before they got any further into that exchange, Harry heard the beating of very familiar wings, and closed his eyes. Hedwig was angry. She had a certain way, that she flew in, whenever she was angry, or unhappy.

He turned his head, toward his friend, who came swooping down with a loud bark. She attacked him with ferocity, that Harry had never seen, before. The guards merely stared.

_You idiot! You almost died! I hate you, you selfish git! How could you do that!_

Her attack wound down, and Harry reached for her, to take her in his arms. “I'm sorry I worried you, Hedwig. You know how it goes, with me. Do you honestly want me to change?”

_No,_ Hedwig admitted, and jumped up to his shoulder, and bumped his head affectionately with her own. She most certainly did not want him to change.

_You've grown wings, Harry,_ Hedwig informed him, rather helpfully. _They're beautiful._

Harry 'hmmmmed' at that. “Thank you, Hedwig. Though, I must say, it feels weird,” Harry said, and stretched them out as far as he could.

_I cannot wait to go flying with you, Harry,_ Hedwig said, and Harry could have sworn, she was purring out the words. Things were becoming stranger, by the minute.

“You know, we really need to have a discussion about this new thing, we have got going on here, Hed.”

_Don't worry, Harry. All will be revealed, shortly,_ Hedwig said mysteriously.

Harry looked around, and learned to his relief, that there were no bodies in the vicinity, and that the dragon's fall had only damaged the dais they were standing on, and the immediate area. He noticed the guards had gotten over their surprise, and were training their weapons on him, again. One of them males reached into a small pouch on the back of his belt, and brought out a pair of shackles. Suddenly, there was a sound of a large door being opened.

“Úlfur! Í hvíldarstöðu!”

Harry saw the guards instantly comply with the order. He turned around, and saw an elderly gentleman, sans wings, make his way to them.

“Farið, og aðstoðið hina, Úlfur.”

The guards saluted him, and quickly went to assist the other groups, who were already starting to work through the debris. Efficient people, these Celestials. The old man walked up to Harry, and stuck out his hand, which Harry grabbed.

“Sigurður, is my name. It's good to meet you, Mr. Potter.”

Harry arched a brow. “Do we know each other?”

The old man smiled softly. “No, we do not, but I know almost all there is to know about you, courtesy of my Lady.”

“Okayyy. And just who is this Lady of yours?”

“Follow,” Sigurður said, and strode toward the door, whence he came, with some speed. Harry picked up his weapon, and did indeed, follow.

“When you meet the Lady, carry yourself with pride, and strength. Do not bow, or show her any sign of submission. She abhors such things.” The old man glanced at Harry, with a grin. “You've earned her respect. No mean feat, that.”

Harry felt a little embarrassed, but simply nodded, and followed the old man. They had been walking for a few minutes, when they came upon large, gilded double doors, which had been decorated with two large felines.

“She's waiting, Mr. Potter,” Sigurður said, and opened one of the doors, and Harry stepped in.

Harry found himself in a large room, which was surprisingly plain, considering the extravagant door. Harry continued to examine the room. It had two long, horizontal windows, up by ceiling, and a few torches were burning, and there was a fire in the hearth.

There was a single, wooden table, and two chairs, close to the fireplace. The only other piece of furniture, was a finely carved wooden throne. Harry's nostrils flared, as he took in three different scents. Two felines, and a woman. Harry's hand inched toward his sword.

_Do not worry, Harry,_ Hedwig said, and squeezed his shoulder with her talons. _Everything's going to be fine._

“She speaks true, Harry,” came a woman's voice. “I mean you no harm.” She stepped out, from behind the throne. She was a tall, powerfully built woman, whose beauty was beyond words. Her blonde hair was done in two large braids, and held in place by a golden circlet. It fit her fair skin perfectly. She was wearing a long, blue gown, with golden trim, and a large stole, made from black fur. Wolf, Harry thought, judging from the scent.

She was wearing a viking longsword on her hip, and her walking around the throne, drew Harry's attention to the shield, that was leaning against it. He recognized it instantly. His hand left his weapon, and he stared at the woman. A pair of large Lynx' flanked her, and watched him with interest.

“You? You're the woman I see in my Patronus?”

The woman smiled in satisfaction. “Yes, I am. My name is Freyja, daughter of Njörður. In some places, I'm also known as 'The Lady of the Light.”

Another goddess. Well, wasn't he popular. “Would you mind, telling me, just what the hell's going on?”

Freyja made her way over to the table, sat down, and offered Harry to do the same. He did, mindful of not leaning back, against the wings.

“When Tom Riddle first split his soul, and created the first Horcrux, he set in motion a chain of events, the end of which I've been trying to prevent from coming to fruition. He created you, Harry. And you, my champion, have been most capable. A true _Champion of the Light_.”

Harry arched an eyebrow. “I'm your 'champion'?” he asked, his voice doubtful. “Your champion was a scrawny, eleven year old kid?”

Freyja laughed. Oh, she liked the boy. “I had to train you, Harry. Make certain you were ready. I kept an eye on you, of course.”

Harry frowned at that admission. “So you knew about my treatment, at the Dursley's.”

Freyja sighed sadly at that. “I did. I would have preferred, that you would have had a happy childhood. However, the truth is that Privet Drive was the safest place for you. And, once you started Hogwarts, I had a pair of agents looking out for you.”

Harry was surprised. “A pair of agents?”

The goddess smiled at him. “Who, do you think, sent Fawkes down into the Chamber of Secrets, Harry? Or sent him into your dreams?”

“That was you?” Harry asked.

“Indeed. But there was another agent. One who has always been with you, even if you've only known her, since your first trip to Diagon Alley. She kept an eye on you, when you were a babe. And when the time was right, she let herself be caught, and brought to Eylops.”

Hedwig's claws were becoming painful, as they dug into Harry's shoulder.

Freyja rose from her chair, walked over to Harry, and took Hedwig from his shoulder. She gazed into her eyes.

“Daughter, I think it's time you revealed your true self, to Harry.”

The silence stretched on, for a few moments, while the goddess, and Hedwig stared at each other. “Be brave, sweetheart,” Freyja said. “He's the very best of men, as you well know. He will love you. You know he will.”

Hedwig turned her head, to look at Harry for a moment, before she turned again, to the Goddess. With a low hoot, she jumped onto the floor, and just stood there. Then, a dim glow, began to form around her, which quickly became a blinding light, and Harry had to shield his eyes. He heard someone take a deep breath. And the light began dying down.

Harry lowered his hand away from his eyes, and what he saw, took his breath away. In front of him, stood a tall, dark haired woman, who had a pair of massive wings folded at her back. If Harry was to guess, they were even bigger than his.

She was wearing some kind of ornate, steel armour, adorned with gold, that only covered her large chest, and upper abdomen. It was held in place by a pair of linen straps, that were tied to her golden necklace, which bore a brilliant emerald. Around her waist, she had fitted a sash, with a golden belt, that covered both her front and rear.

She also wore a pair of polished steel arm braces, and a gauntlet on her left hand, that matched the chest piece, as well as the greaves she wore, and sabatons. And lastly, in her left hand, she held a large spear, that was covered with the same markings, as her armour.

His emerald eyes found her amber ones, and he knew. This was her. His Hedwig. Her eyes began misting over, and she dropped her spear. She ran to her Harry, and threw his arms around him, sobbing.

_Finally! Harry! Harry! I've wanted to do this for so long. How I ached to do it, whenever those_ _**people** _ _, that called themselves, your family,_ _mistreated you._

Harry eased her away, a little bit, and kissed her forehead. “It's alright, Hedwig,” he said, and brought her in, for another hug.

“So, how did this happen?” Harry asked the goddess, who was watching the interplay, with a smile.

“Now, that's a long story...”

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Here's chapter eighteen, then. A bit long, perhaps. A lot happened, though. And now, we're all caught up. I cannot promise, when the next chapter comes, but it might be months. I'll never abandon this baby of mine.

Lily: https://www.deviantart.com/junejenssen/art/Sophia-742638142

Freyja: https://www.deviantart.com/irenhorrors/art/Freya-746010563

And lastly, Hedwig: https://www.deviantart.com/andiell/art/Nicole-by-krysdecker-556537494


End file.
